Biomaterial Database

Surgical management of late postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula: the transsternal, transpericardial route. 2006

P Misthos, and S Kakaris, and E Sepsas, and K Athanassiadi, and I Skottis

First Thoracic Surgical Department, Sotiria General Hospital for Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece. panmisthos@yahoo.gr

BACKGROUND Late postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula (LBPF) is a serious complication. Surgical repair of the bronchial stump through a lateral thoracotomy is a dangerous attempt due to mediastinal fibrothorax and the risk of pulmonary artery stump damage. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of the transsternal, transpericardial approach for bronchial stump repair in case of LBPF. METHODS From 1996 to 2002, 1,294 lung resections for non-small cell lung cancer were performed at our department. Out of 412 pneumonectomies, 16 patients (3.8%) presented with LBPF after right pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer. Thirteen of these patients were subjected to transsternal, transpericardial bronchial stump repair. They were followed postoperatively, and morbidity and mortality rates were recorded. RESULTS The interval between pneumonectomy and fistula diagnosis lasted from 12 to 85 months. The estimated sizes of the fistulae ranged from 5 to 21 mm, and the length of the bronchial stump was >1 cm only in 2 patients (15.3%).Due to persistent empyema, open-window thoracostomy was performed for definite treatment immediately after the operation for bronchial stump reamputation in 6 cases (46.1%). One patient (7.6%) died 3 months postoperatively due to bronchopleural fistula recurrence. This was also the only case of fistula recurrence. CONCLUSIONS LBPF usually needs definite management to save the patient's life. The transsternal, transpericardial approach is a safe and effective method.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008175	Lung Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LUNG.	Cancer of Lung,Lung Cancer,Pulmonary Cancer,Pulmonary Neoplasms,Cancer of the Lung,Neoplasms, Lung,Neoplasms, Pulmonary,Cancer, Lung,Cancer, Pulmonary,Cancers, Lung,Cancers, Pulmonary,Lung Cancers,Lung Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lung,Neoplasm, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Cancers,Pulmonary Neoplasm
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009367	Neoplasm Staging	Methods which attempt to express in replicable terms the extent of the neoplasm in the patient.	Cancer Staging,Staging, Neoplasm,Tumor Staging,TNM Classification,TNM Staging,TNM Staging System,Classification, TNM,Classifications, TNM,Staging System, TNM,Staging Systems, TNM,Staging, Cancer,Staging, TNM,Staging, Tumor,System, TNM Staging,Systems, TNM Staging,TNM Classifications,TNM Staging Systems
D010994	Pleura	The thin serous membrane enveloping the lungs (LUNG) and lining the THORACIC CAVITY. Pleura consist of two layers, the inner visceral pleura lying next to the pulmonary parenchyma and the outer parietal pleura. Between the two layers is the PLEURAL CAVITY which contains a thin film of liquid.	Parietal Pleura,Visceral Pleura,Pleura, Parietal,Pleura, Visceral
D011013	Pneumonectomy	The excision of lung tissue including partial or total lung lobectomy.	Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction,Endoscopic Lung Volume Reduction,Lung Volume Reduction,Lung Volume Reduction Surgery,Partial Pneumonectomy,Partial Pneumonectomies,Pneumonectomies,Pneumonectomy, Partial,Reduction, Lung Volume,Volume Reduction, Lung
D012008	Recurrence	The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission.	Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D001983	Bronchial Fistula	An abnormal passage or communication between a bronchus and another part of the body.	Bronchial Fistulas,Fistula, Bronchial,Fistulas, Bronchial
D002283	Carcinoma, Bronchogenic	Malignant neoplasm arising from the epithelium of the BRONCHI. It represents a large group of epithelial lung malignancies which can be divided into two clinical groups: SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER and NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG CARCINOMA.	Carcinoma, Bronchial,Bronchial Carcinoma,Bronchial Carcinomas,Bronchogenic Carcinoma,Bronchogenic Carcinomas,Carcinomas, Bronchial,Carcinomas, Bronchogenic
D002289	Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung	A heterogeneous aggregate of at least three distinct histological types of lung cancer, including SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA; ADENOCARCINOMA; and LARGE CELL CARCINOMA. They are dealt with collectively because of their shared treatment strategy.	Carcinoma, Non-Small Cell Lung,Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma,Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma,Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer,Carcinoma, Non Small Cell Lung,Carcinomas, Non-Small-Cell Lung,Lung Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell,Lung Carcinomas, Non-Small-Cell,Non Small Cell Lung Carcinoma,Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinomas