Diagnosis and treatment of bronchopleural fistula after anatomical lung resections

Abstract

To assess the factors causing air leakage after anatomical lung resections and present a rational tactical approach for timely establishing the cause and level of bronchial fistula. We analyzed 723 patients who underwent anatomical lung resection (pneumonectomy - 136 patients, anatomical lobectomy and segmentectomy - 513, video-assisted anatomical resection - 74 patients). In 506 (69.9%) cases, complete lung inflation after surgery was observed within 24-48 hours. Persistent air discharge for more than 3 days was observed in 141 (19.5%) patients. Prolonged air leakage for more than 7 postoperative days occurred in 50 (6.9%) patients. Air discharge for more than 10 days was considered abnormal and observed in 20 (2.8%) patients. Redo surgeries were performed in 49 patients with bronchopleural fistula at the level of segmental bronchi. Forty-two patients after primary thoracoscopy and 6 ones after primary thoracotomy underwent video-assisted resection of the lung with bronchopleural fistula after previous surgery. In 11 patients, re-thoracotomy was performed: middle lobectomy after previous right-sided upper lobectomy in 2 patients, lung resection after previous segmentectomy in 8 cases and atypical resection of bulla after previous right-sided lower lobectomy in 1 case. Surgical approach for persistent postoperative air leakage involves various surgical interventions. The best option is minimally invasive thoracoscopic procedure. This method is valuable to visualize bronchopleural fistula, eliminate air leakage, additionally reinforce pulmonary suture and perform targeted adequate drainage of the pleural cavity.