Lemierre syndrome complicated by bronchopleural fistula.

We present a 19-year-old woman, a case of Lemierre syndrome, who presented with fever, sore throat, and left shoulder pain. Imaging revealed a thrombus in the right internal jugular vein, multiple nodular shadows below both pleura with some cavitations, right lung necrotizing pneumonia, pyothorax, abscess in the infraspinatus muscle, and multiloculated fluid collections in the left hip joint. After inserting a chest tube and administering urokinase for the pyothorax, a bronchopleural fistula was suspected. The fistula was identified based on clinical symptoms and computed tomography scan findings. If a bronchopleural fistula is present, thoracic lavage should not be performed as it may cause complications such as contralateral pneumonia due to reflux.

Intrathoracic Transposition of a Pedicled Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Flap for Complicated Chronic Empyema Thoracis: A Plea for its Popularity in our Subregion.

INTRODUCTION: Empyema thoracis is a debilitating disease that still constitutes a significant burden among thoracic surgical diseases in our environment. It sometimes occurs secondary to ruptured lung abscess with varying degrees of lung destruction and bronchopleural fistula. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old woman presented to our unit with a two-month history of cough which subsequently became productive of purulent sputum and posture-dependent, and fever, with progressive dyspnea on exertion. She was subsequently managed for chronic right empyema thoracis secondary to a ruptured lung abscess. We briefly describe the evaluation, indication, and technique for intrathoracic transposition of a pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap for operative management of this index disease, and the very good medium and long-term outcomes observed for this patient. CONCLUSION: Where indicated and with meticulous preoperative planning, transposition of a pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap for complicated chronic empyema thoracis can prevent a surgical albatross with a reduced hospital stay, cost of treatment and excellent patient satisfaction at the meagre expense of about 30 minutes or less extra intra-operative time.

INTRODUCTION: L'empyème thoracique est une maladie invalidante qui constitue toujours un fardeau significatif parmi les maladies chirurgicales thoraciques dans notre environnement. Il survient parfois secondairement à un abcès pulmonaire rompu avec des degrés variables de destruction pulmonaire et de fistule bronchopleurale. RAPPORT DE CAS: Une femme de 65 ans s'est présentée à notre unité avec une toux persistante depuis deux mois, qui est ensuite devenue productive de crachats purulents dépendant de la posture, ainsi que de la fièvre, avec une dyspnée progressive à l'effort. Elle a ensuite été traitée pour un empyème thoracique chronique droit secondaire à un abcès pulmonaire rompu. Nous décrivons brièvement l'évaluation, les indications et la technique de transposition intrathoracique d'un lambeau musculaire grand dorsal pédiéculé pour la prise en charge opératoire de cette maladie, ainsi que les très bons résultats à moyen et long terme observés pour cette patiente. CONCLUSION: Lorsque cela est indiqué et avec une planification préopératoire méticuleuse, la transposition d'un lambeau musculaire grand dorsal pédiéculé pour un empyème thoracique chronique compliqué peut éviter un fardeau chirurgical avec une réduction du séjour hospitalier, du coût du traitement et une excellente satisfaction du patient, avec un faible coût supplémentaire en temps opératoire de seulement environ 30 minutes ou moins. MOTS-CLÉS: Abcès pulmonaire, lambeau musculaire grand dorsal pédiéculé, empyème thoracique, résultats.

A treatment protocol for chronic post-pneumonectomy empyema associated with bronchopleural fistula: A single-centre retrospective study.

Chronic post-pneumonectomy empyema (CPPE) associated with bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a potentially fatal complication and remains a surgical challenge. This study aims to propose a treatment protocol for managing this severe disease. From July 2009 to June 2021, 47 CPPE with BPF patients were treated in our department. CT scan with 3D reconstruction was used to detect BPF and to evaluate the location and volume of empyema cavity. Different surgical techniques were used to close BPFs according to they sizes. Multiple pedicled muscle flaps were chosen to fill the empyema cavity, and among them, latissimus dorsi (LD) was the mostly used flap. For cases that regional flaps were not suitable, free flaps were used. Patients were followed-up from 7.9 to 102.8 months. Forty-four patients (93.6%) healed after the operation. Closure of BPFs failed in three patients (6.4%), leading to regional infection. These patients were treated by bronchoscopic application of sealants, continuous drainage and antibiotics, and they eventually healed. Total or partial flap loss was not seen in any of the cases. Treatment protocol was proposed based on these results. CT scan with 3D reconstruction is an effective examination to evaluate pleural cavity defect and BPF. Proper technique to close the BPF and right choice of flap to fulfil the empyema cavity are the two most important key points to treat CPPE associated with BPF patients.

Surgical Treatment for Pneumothorax and Tumor-bronchial Fistula Secondary to Pulmonary Metastasis of Osteosarcoma in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients.

BACKGROUND: Pneumothorax and tumor-bronchial fistula are rare complications of pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma. OBSERVATIONS: We herein report the cases of 3 pediatric and adolescent patients who developed pneumothorax or tumor-bronchial fistula during treatment of pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma with chemotherapeutics or antiangiogenic agents. Two patients developed pneumothorax, and the other patient developed tumor-bronchial fistula. All of the patients finally underwent the surgery to treat their complications. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is not a curative surgery, surgery for pneumothorax and tumor-bronchial fistula is acceptable. The operative procedure should be considered on the basis of the predicted prognosis of the patient.

[Effective Treatment for Empyema with Fistula by Negative Pressure Wound Therapy:Report of a Case].

A 54-year-old male with alcoholic cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus was referred to our hospital for the treatment of right pleural empyema with fistula. Despite performing a simple suture closure of the pulmonary fistula, air leakage occurred one week after surgery. Hence, we covered the fistula with a pediculed muscle flap associated with an open window thoracostomy. After 32 days of gauze drainage, negative pressure wound therapy( NPWT) was introduced for reducing the residual pleural space. A chest computed tomography( CT) scan showed almost the full expansion of the lung after undergoing 98 days of NPWT. The patient was discharged from the hospital four months after thoracostomy.

Bronchopleural Fistula in the Mechanically Ventilated Patient: A Concise Review.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the physiology of air leak in bronchopleural fistula in mechanically ventilated patients and how understanding of its physiology drives management of positive-pressure ventilation. To provide guidance of lung isolation, mechanical ventilator, pleural catheter, and endobronchial strategies for the management of bronchopleural fistula on mechanical ventilation. DATA SOURCES: Online search of PubMed and manual review of articles (laboratory and patient studies) was performed. STUDY SELECTION: Articles relevant to bronchopleural fistula, mechanical ventilation in patients with bronchopleural fistula, independent lung ventilation, high-flow ventilatory modes, physiology of persistent air leak, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, fluid dynamics of bronchopleural fistula airflow, and intrapleural catheter management were selected. Randomized trials, observational studies, case reports, and physiologic studies were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Data from selected studies were qualitatively evaluated for this review. We included data illustrating the physiology of driving pressure across a bronchopleural fistula as well as data, largely from case reports, demonstrating management and outcomes with various ventilator modes, intrapleural catheter techniques, endoscopic placement of occlusion and valve devices, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Themes related to managing persistent air leak with mechanical ventilation were reviewed and extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: In case reports that demonstrate different approaches to managing patients with bronchopleural fistula requiring mechanical ventilation, common themes emerge. Strategies aimed at decreasing peak inspiratory pressure, using lower tidal volumes, lowering positive end-expiratory pressure, decreasing the inspiratory time, and decreasing the respiratory rate, while minimizing negative intrapleural pressure decreases airflow across the bronchopleural fistula. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical ventilation and intrapleural catheter management must be individualized and aimed at reducing air leak. Clinicians should emphasize reducing peak inspiratory pressures, reducing positive end-expiratory pressure, and limiting negative intrapleural pressure. In refractory cases, clinicians can consider lung isolation, independent lung ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in appropriate patients as well as definitive management with advanced bronchoscopic placement of valves or occlusion devices.

Young patient with pneumonia complicated by bronchopleural fistula.

We present the case of a 19 year old female presenting to the Emergency Department with signs of pneumonia and sepsis, with her clinical status deteriorating rapidly to septic shock and respiratory failure. Her pneumonia was complicated by formation of an empyema and a bronchopleural fistula. Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a fistula between pleural space and a bronchus. It is an uncommon complication of lung surgery, endobronchial interventions or chest trauma. They are sometimes formed secondary to postoperative pneumonia. Management of BPF requires surgical or bronchoscopic intervention with supportive care. Since a BPF can cause physiological tension pneumothorax, it can lead to significant worsening of respiratory status of these patients. Ventilator settings need to be adjusted to reduce the Positive end expiratory pressure and tidal volume to support these patients. With this case we highlight the importance of recognizing and diagnosing a BPF and timely management of a BPF in the emergency setting to help patients get to the definitive treatment of the fistula.

Customized airway stenting for bronchopleural fistula after pulmonary resection by interventional technique: single-center study of 148 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopleural fistula after pulmonary resection is a serious complication, with major impact on the quality of life and survival. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of customized airway stenting in the treatment of bronchopleural fistula. METHODS: A series of airway stents for dedicated bronchopleural fistula occlusion were designed after taking into account the anatomical and pathophysiological features of post-pulmonary resection fistulas and the shortcomings of airway stents currently available. The fistulas were occluded with the bullet head or a special part of the covered airway stent. Successful stenting was defined as immediate cessation of air leak from the residual cavity after stenting. The results were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Airway occlusion stenting was successful on the first attempt in 143/148 (96.6%) patients with bronchopleural fistulas. In the remaining 5 patients, occlusion was successful only on the second try. At follow-up 30 days after stenting, 141 patients reported relief in symptoms. No choking, laryngeal edema, or airway rupture occurred in any patient during stent insertion or removal; 2 patients developed hemorrhage during stent removal. CONCLUSIONS: Airway occlusion stenting appears to be a feasible and effective technique for treatment of bronchopleural fistula.

A case of bronchopericardial fistula with tension pneumopericardium closed successfully by transpericardial intervention: A novel procedure.

A pneumopericardium is a collection of air or gas in the pericardial sac which may cause cardiac tamponade, known as tension pneumopericardium. Tension pneumopericardium is a rare and lethal presentation of bronchopericardial fistula. There are very few reports in the literature of patients surviving with this condition, although prompt diagnosis and early intervention are important. Treatment options are limited. We present a rare case of tension pneumopericardium with cardiogenic shock due to bronchopericardial fistula in a patient with bronchogenic carcinoma who was successfully treated with transpericardial intervention.

Esophago-pulmonary fistula manifesting as recurrent pneumonias and migrating mediastinal calcifications.

A 43-year old man presented with recurrent pneumonias, episodes of hemoptysis and an enlarging right lower lobe mass. A clear diagnosis was not previously established in spite of multiple radiological evaluations and biopsies. Meticulous review of his CT imaging showed that he had subcarinal calcification on his prior CT scans, which had decreased in size and now multiple new small areas of calcifications were seen in the right lower lobe lesion. An esophago-pulmonary fistula due to migration of mediastinal calcifications was suspected which was identified on careful review of the CT chest and confirmed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Patient had surgical repair with complete recovery.

[Management of Postoperative Wound Infection and Empyema].

Postoperative wound infection and empyema after pulmonary surgery is considered surgical site infection. Postoperative empyema (PE) is a rare but potentially fatal complication of pulmonary resections and proper management is essential. Appropriate antibiotics and surgical treatment is necessary to cure the PE. PE is often associated with bronchopleural fistula, which makes the management of PE difficult. The treatment of empyema has the basic way of thinking, but there are various cures, closed tube thoracostomy, video-assisted thoracoscopy, emergency open window thoracostomy, and Endoscopic conservative treatment may necessary.

Can Peripheral Bronchopleural Fistula Demonstrated on Computed Tomography be Treated Conservatively? A Retrospective Analysis.

PURPOSE: Peripheral bronchopleural fistulas (BPF) are communications between a peripheral bronchus or the lung parenchyma and the pleural space. Although reported cases with peripheral BPF might have typical symptoms, we postulate that there may be BPF patients without typical symptoms who are diagnosed on computed tomography (CT) for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched retrospectively for how frequently BPF is found on CT in cases with known or suspected empyema or hydropneumothorax. Also, we examined the clinical charts to ascertain if a diagnosis of BPF was suspected in the CT reports or clinically, and to determine the outcome of each case. RESULTS: Thirteen thoracic cavities of 12 patients were included in this study. Of these, BPF was suspected clinically in only 1. Mention in the CT report about the presence of BPF was found in 2 cases. An apparent finding of BPF on CT was found in 7 of 13 (53%) thoracic cavities of 6 cases. The outcomes were that 1 patient died 1 month later due to multiple organ failure, and 1 patient was discharged subsequently after CT. In the other 10 cases, there was no exacerbation of the symptom regardless of definite evidence of BPF on CT. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, when there is hydropneumothorax on CT, it is important for radiologists to diligently search for findings of peripheral BPF and to document it. However, a reference about the need for a surgical approach for BPF may not be required.

[Long Term Placement of Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot for Empyema with Bronchopleural Fistula].

A 63-years old man referred to our hospital complaining of fever and dyspnea. He had severe diabetes. Chest computed tomography revealed left empyema with bronchopleural fistula and right pneumonia. Chest drainage was performed, but his general condition was too bad to perform surgical treatment. We performed bronchial embolization with Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot (EWS) which successfully closed the bronchopleural fistula resulting in the cure of pneumonia. Even at 1 year after treatment, good condition is being kept under the placement of EWS.

[Vacuum-assisted Closure Therapy for Residual Space after Open Window Thoracotomy for Pleural Empyema due to Bronchopleural Fistula].

A 73-year-old man underwent right middle-lower bilobectomy for lung adenocarcinoma. He suffered from pneumonia followed by empyema due to bronchopleural fistula. On day 19 after the operation, an open window thoracostomy was created. Then the pleural space was treated conservatively with saline irrigation and petrolatum gauze packing. Progressive formation of healthy granulation tissue was observed around the bronchopleural fistula and the adjacent pulmonary artery, resulting in a complete closure of the bronchopleural fistula. And then we applied vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy to the residual pleural cavity. At 4 weeks after the initiation of VAC therapy, the pleural cavity was completely filled with granulation tissue and re-expanded residual lung. In conclusion, VAC therapy is a safe and effective treatment for residual space after open window thoracostomy for empyema due to bronchopleural fistula, if it is applied after closure of bronchopleural fistula and adequate granulation tissue formation on the great vessels.

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy with SPET in the diagnosis of bronchobiliary fistula due to a hydatid cyst.

In this report, we present the application of hepatobiliary scintigraphy using Tc-99m mebrofenin in the diagnosis of bronchobiliary fistula caused by a liver hydatid cyst, which penetrated the diaphragm. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy noticeably depicted the leakage of the tracer from the biliary system of the liver to the bronchial tree. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy stands as a robust modality in the accurate diagnosis and treatment planning of bronchobiliary fistulas.

[Post Fenestrated Thoracic Empyema with Broncopleural Fistula, Healed Successfully without Plombage].

A 60-year-old man was performed right middle and lower bilobectomy. High fever was observed on the 17th postoperative day and the patient was diagnosed as having empyema with bronchopleural fistula(BPF). Chest tube drainage and antibiotics were started followed by open window thoracotomy on the 61st postoperative day. The repetition of closing package procedure was done daily or every other day. BPF was successfully covered by good granulation and was healed 6 months after open thoracotomy. The empyema cavity gradually decreased in size, and was completely epithelized 1 year after fenestration. Usually, the treatment of empyema with BPF is surgical treatment such as muscle flap plombage, following open window thoracotomy. But if the fistula is small and the infection is controlled effectively non-surgical treatment following open window thoracotomy is potentially useful way to cure the empyema with BPF.

[Clinical investigation of detecting the bronchi responsible for pulmonary air leakage by injecting methylene blue saline in 27 cases with intractable pneumothorax and bronchial fistula].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a new method for detecting the bronchus responsible for pulmonary air leakage by injecting methylene blue saline and to evaluate its efficacy and safety in cases with intractable pneumothorax and bronchial fistula. METHODS: From January 2006 to October 2013, a total of 19 cases of intractable spontaneous pneumothorax and 8 cases of bronchial fistula were recruited in the study at the Fourth Hospital affiliated to Hebei Medical University. Of all the cases, 15 were diagnosed as having tension pneumothorax and 12 as having communicating pneumothorax. All the cases failed to respond to continuous pleural suction for more than 5 days and consented to the proposed treatment. Before procedure, chest suction was established to allow sustained airflow through the drainage tube while the patients breathed normally. Under direct vision through fiberoptic bronchoscope, injection catheter was inserted into the bronchoscopy channel, and methylene blue saline was slowly injected into the potentially leaking segmental or sub-segmental bronchi. When a steady decline or disappearance in the amount of methylene blue saline in the airways was observed, or methylthionine-tainted saline was detected within the chest drainage tube, the bronchus responsible for air leakage was indicated. Before blocking the target bronchus, the negative pressure level of pleural suction should be reduced or stopped, and then porcine fibrin glue or a-cyanoacrylate was used for sealing the bronchi associated with air leakage. When the air was absent from the drainage tube, and lung recruitment was indicated in the chest X-ray for 5 days, and bronchial blockade of air leakage was proved successful. RESULTS: The bronchi responsible for air leakage were successfully located in all 27 cases, among them segmental bronchi were located in 16, subsegmental bronchi in 10, and small subsegmental bronchus in only one. Multiple adjacent segmental involvement occurred in 3, and multiple adjacent subsegmental involvement in 5 cases. The average time for locating the target bronchi was (51 ± 9) s, among them the average time for tension pneumothorax was (48 ± 15) s compared with (53 ± 16) s for communicating pneumothorax (t = 0.416, P = 0.699) . The average amount of methylene blue saline consumed for locating the target bronchi was (42 ± 23) ml. During the procedure, the membrane of the bronchi was kept intact, and the vital signs were stable. Blockade of the target bronchi was successful with fibrin glue in 20 cases and with OB glue in 7 cases. A total of 61 times of bronchial blocking were performed, and the airflow of the chest drainage tube was instantly stopped in 17 times, gradually stopped in 10, steadily reduced in 22 and no change in 12 times. Adverse effects included severe cough in 4 cases, fever in 3, pleural hemorrhage in 3, and chest pain, atelectasis, and pneumonia in 2 cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: The bronchi responsible for pulmonary air leakage in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax and bronchial fistula could be determined by injecting methylene blue saline into the airways. This novel method does not require special instruments, and is easy to perform with a high safety and effectiveness.