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Multicenter Study
. 2012 Jul;15(1):152-4.
doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivs078. Epub 2012 Apr 16.

Conservative treatment of post-lobectomy bronchopleural fistula

Jose Manuel Naranjo Gómez  1 , Miguel Carbajo Carbajo, Daniel Valdivia Concha, Jose Luis Campo-Cañaveral de la Cruz
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Conservative treatment of post-lobectomy bronchopleural fistula

Jose Manuel Naranjo Gómez et al. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2012 Jul.

Abstract

Post-lobectomy bronchopleural fistula is a rare complication of lung resection surgery, and proper management is essential for its successful resolution. Most published papers deal with endoscopic and surgical treatment. We report our experience with conservative management. Data were collected by reviewing the clinical charts of patients diagnosed with post-lobectomy bronchopleural fistula at the University Hospitals Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, and Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda-Madrid, Spain, from June 2003 to December 2010. Bronchopleural fistula was diagnosed by means of endoscopic visualization. Treatment included the insertion of a thoracostomy drainage tube in the pleural cavity. In patients under mechanical ventilation, independent pulmonary ventilation was also applied. Seven cases of post-lobectomy bronchopleural fistula were collected. Three of them occurred within the first week, another three within the first month and the remaining case after 10 months. The fistula size ranged between 6 mm and complete suture dehiscence. Two patients died due to causes unrelated to the treatment. The period of time elapsed for the resolution of this complication varied between 5 and 36 days. We conclude that conservative treatment of post-lobectomy bronchopleural fistula is a safe and simple option that must be taken into account in the management of this problem.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
(a) Endoscopic view of a fistula. Dehiscence affects half of the suture. (b) Subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax in Patient 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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