Transsternal transpericardial approach for the repair of bronchopleural fistula with empyema

BACKGROUND: Numerous surgical approaches have been reported for the repair of bronchopleural fistula. Recently the transsternal transpericardial approach has shown great promise with its positive results in cases of bronchopleural fistula complicated with empyema. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the results of bronchopleural fistula treatment using the transsternal transpericardial approach. METHODS: Bronchopleural fistula developed in 16 of the 172 patients who had pneumonectomy between 1982 and 1996. In one case closure with fibrin sealant by bronchoscopy was tried. In the remaining cases fistula was closed by the transsternal transpericardial approach. RESULTS: The interval between pneumonectomy and fistula occurrence was 10 days or less in 5 patients and 10 days to 1 month in 11 patients. In all patients the empyema space was treated by continued drainage through the thoracostomy tube. Fibrin sealant was tried unsuccessfully for closure of moderate-sized bronchopleural fistula in one case. In three cases of right bronchopleural fistula, carinal resection and anastomosis of the trachea to the left main stem bronchus were performed. In the remaining cases bronchopleural fistula was closed using a hand suture technique. One patient died within 30 days after operation (6.25%) because of renal insufficiency. There was no recurrence of bronchopleural fistula. CONCLUSIONS: Transsternal transpericardial approach seems to be a safe and effective method with an easier technique in cases of bronchopleural fistula complicated with empyema. It has the added advantage of less recurrent fistula formation and enables resection in cases without sufficient bronchial stump.     

Anterior transpericardial closure of a main bronchus fistula after pneumonectomy

A young woman sustained a penetrating wound to the right anterior chest during a vehicular accident. Septic complications led to emergency pneumonectomy followed by infection of the pleural space and disruption of the right bronchus closure. Her condition improved after creation of a pleural window for dependent drainage and gauze packing of the pleural space. Subsequently, the open bronchial stump was closed utilizing a transpericardial approach through a median sternotomy incision which permitted eventual closure of the pneumonectomy space without thoracoplasty. When the length of the bronchial stump permits its application, the transpericardial approach to postpneumonectomy bronchial fistula closure offers important advantages over conventional transpleural techniques.     

Transsternal transpericardial closure of a postpneumonectomy bronchial fistula in a patient who underwent pneumonectomy because of a war injury

Most common causes of intrathoracic empyema include pulmonary infections and postoperative bronchopleural fistulas complicating a lung surgical resection, mainly pneumonectomy, as a result of the failure of the bronchial stump to heal. A 22-year-old Serbian patient presented with chronic posttraumatic empyema. Two years before during a war, he experienced chest injury due to a firearm wound, with massive intrathoracic bleeding and need for emergency left pneumonectomy. Empyema with a bronchopleural fistula occurred during the postoperative course. The patient underwent left open window thoracostomy with a daily bandage change. Here we report the treatment of the bronchopleural fistula using sequential surgical approach including transsternal transpericardial closure of the fistula followed by reconstruction of the chest wall with a regional muscle flap. Our case report highlights the feasibility and efficacy of the transsternal surgical approach to treat postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula, thereby avoiding the direct approach to the bronchial stump through the infected pneumonectomy cavity.     

Closure of the bronchial stump by manual suture and incidence of bronchopleural fistula in a series of 209 pneumonectomies for lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy is a very serious complication, occurring in 1-4% of cases, regardless of the bronchial stump closure technique adopted. The objective of this study was to report a bronchial stump closure technique in pneumonectomy by manual suture (polypropylene running suture) and to study the incidence of bronchopleural fistula. METHODS: Between January 1988 and December 1997, 209 patients (186 men and 23 women, mean age = 60.5 years) were operated by the same operator. The indication for surgery was lung cancer in all cases. RESULTS: The incidence of bronchopleural fistula was 2.4%; four fistulas during the first postoperative month and another occurred at 6 months; four were located on the left side and one was situated on the right. The bronchial stulnp was covered in only two of these five cases; 40% died of this complication. Neoadjuvant treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) was found to increase the risk of development of bronchopleural fistula (40% vs. 7.2%) and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Manual closure of the bronchial stump by running suture, performed on an open bronchus, is a reliable technique with a low incidence of bronchopleural fistula. Those results could be further improved by systematically covering the right and the left bronchial stumps.     

Surgical treatment of bronchial fistulas after pneumonectomy

The results of surgical treatment of 9 patients with bronchial fistulas after pneumonectomy have been analysed. During the reoperation the bronchial stump was wrapped by the omental flap with vascular pedicle (omentoplasty). In 6 patients omentoplasty was used in urgent repeated transpleural operations, in 3--during the late operations from transsternal transpericardial approach. Wedge resection of the tracheal bifurcation with omentoplasty from transsternal transpericardial approach was performed in 2 patients with a short bronchial stump. 2 patients died after surgery: one--from cardiopulmonary failure, the other one--from the relapse of bronchial fistula. Omentoplasty in patients with primary bronchial fistulas proved to be effective. It is advisable to perform reoperations during the 1st day after complications developed.     

经心包纵隔内关闭支气管残端治疗难治性支气管胸膜瘘

目的总结经心包纵隔内关闭支气管残端治疗难治性支气管胸膜瘘的经验。方法3例难治性支气管胸膜瘘的病人，采用胸骨正中切口经心包纵隔内关闭支气管残端加胸壁开窗引流治疗。结果3例支气管残端均闭合良好，随访至少5个月，无复发。结论该手术方法安全、疗效肯定，操作简单，复发率低，可在临床推广。     

The posterior membranous flap technique for bronchial closure after pneumonectomy

Bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy is a life-threatening complication which is associated with the surgical technique and the experience of the surgeon. We evaluated the incidence of bronchopleural fistula using the posterior membranous flap technique, as originally described by G. Jack in 1965. The surgical technique of bronchial closure proximal to the carina is described and discussed. From 1999 to 2005, 45 consecutive patients underwent pneumonectomy in our hospital using the posterior membranous flap technique for bronchial closure. Twenty-nine patients (64.5%) underwent left pneumonectomy and 16 patients (35.5%) right pneumonectomy. Patients were operated on for non-small cell lung cancer (41 patients - 89%), small cell lung cancer (one patient - 2.2%), mixed and other types of cancer (two patients - 4.4%), and non-neoplastic etiology (one patient - 2.2%). In the follow up of the patients no bronchopleural fistula was identified after pneumonectomy, right or left. Thirty-day mortality was 6.6% (three patients), all because of cardiorespiratory insufficiency. Using the posterior membranous flap technique, we eliminated the two major factors of the occurrence of BPF: (a) the tension in the suture line; and (b) the remaining stump from the resected bronchus. This bronchial closure technique offers a safe method of prevention of bronchopleural fistula.     

Bronchopleural fistula after stapled closure of bronchus.

The incidence of bronchopleural fistula after stapling among 2,243 pulmonary resections at the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center has been reviewed. There were 35 fistulas in 1,773 stapled and in 470 sutured bronchi (segmentectomy, 2; lobectomy, 1; bilobectomy, 9; and pneumonectomy, 23). We have found that the stapler is expedient and simple to use, and that it produces a hermetic and uniform closure. The stapler is contraindicated when the bronchus is thickened, inflamed, or of insufficient length. The overall incidence of bronchopleural fistula was 1.6%. Approximately two thirds of the patients with bronchopleural fistula had preoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy or both.     

Closure of bronchopleural fistulas using albumin-glutaraldehyde tissue adhesive

Bronchopleural fistulas are a life-threatening complication of pulmonary resection. A 21-year-old woman developed a large bronchopleural fistula after undergoing a pneumonectomy for carcinoid tumor. Despite bronchial stump revision and omental coverage, the fistula recurred. The second patient is a 42-year-old woman with a history of multiple thoracotomies who developed a bronchopleural fistula following aortic root replacement. Using either rigid bronchoscopy or thoracoscopy, these fistulas were evaluated and sealed with an albumin-glutaraldehyde tissue adhesive that may have improved strength and biocompatibility compared with other tissue sealants. This approach may be an effective alternative in the treatment of bronchopleural fistulas.     

Bronchial stump insufficiency: treatment and results

A bronchopleural fistula following lung resection is a dangerous complication. Records from 25 patients with a bronchopleural fistula were followed up in order to propose a therapeutic concept. An early onset of fistula should be treated as an emergency. Late fistulas can be reoperated electively because they are most often rather small and the patients are in a better condition. The suture of the stump alone was successful in only 3 out of 13 cases. Patients with fistulas following lobectomy were reoperated by pneumonectomy with good results. In fistulas due to pneumonectomy the results of either an isolated muscle-flap or a thoracoplasty were disappointing. Instead, a closure of the stump was accomplished by the combination of thoracoplasty and muscle-flap in 3 out of 4 patients. However, 2 patients with an early fistula after pneumonectomy died from septic complications after the fistulas had already been managed. Endoscopic maneuvers like gluing and insertion of spongiosa did not show any success unless combined with operative measures but rather delayed the onset of re-intervention.     

Transpericardial bronchial closure with omentopexy for postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula

We report a case of successful closure of a postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula by means of the transpericardial approach with omentopexy through a median sternotomy incision. This method minimizes problems of infection, healing, and pulmonary function.     

Transsternal transpericardial closure of a postlobectomy bronchopleural fistula

We report a case of chronic empyema and bronchopleural fistula after lobectomy for tuberculosis. The patient had undergone four different surgical procedures to correct his bronchopleural fistula during an interval of seven years. Finally, he had a successful closure of the fistula using the transsternal transpericardial approach.     

The use of automatic stapling devices in pulmonary resection

The use of mechanical automatic stapling devices for closure of the bronchus, pulmonary arteries and veins, and lung parenchyma in 349 consecutive patients undergoing various types of pulmonary resection is described. Bronchopleural fistula has occurred only 2 times in 60 patients undergoing pneumonectomy. One occurred four months and 1 six months postoperatively. In both cases recurrence of carcinoma was demonstrated in the bronchial stump. No bronchopleural fistulas occurred following 136 lobectomies. Significant parenchymal air leaks occurred 5 times in 289 patients. No complications resulted from staple closure of pulmonary vessels except the instance previously reported [13]. The use of stapling devices has greatly lessened blood loss and reduced anesthetic and operating periods, thus permitting more extensive resection in marginal-risk patients and fewer complications when compared with traditional methods of resection.     

Results of re-thoracotomy for the management of early postoperative complications after bronchoplastic operations

We reviewed cases of re-thoracotomy performed for early complications after bronchoplastic procedures. One hundred and sixteen bronchoplasties were performed in our department over 20 years. The diseases for which bronchoplasty was undertaken were lung cancer in 102 patients (87.9%), tuberculous stenosis of the bronchus in eight, esophageal cancer in three, and trauma in three. The most frequent postoperative complication was difficulty of expectoration and atelectasis, which generally improved with conservative treatment. Re-thoracotomy was performed for early postoperative intrathoracic complications on 11 patients. The reasons for re-thoracotomy were bronchial anastomotic dehiscence in five cases, obstruction of bronchial anastomosis in two, atelectasis in two, and occlusion of anastomosis of pulmonary arterial angioplasty in two cases. All except two underwent re-thoracotomy within two weeks of the first operations. The operative procedures performed were completion pneumonectomy in six cases, re-bronchoplasty in three, suture of anastomotic dehiscence in two, patch closure of pericardial defect with aspiration of secretions in the atelectatic lobe in one, and partial decortication with suture closure of the alveolar fistula in one. Pedicled omental wrapping was applied to two patients with re-bronchoplasty and one with completion pneumonectomy. Post-operative complications after re-thoracotomy were anastomotic insufficiency in two cases, bronchopleural fistula in two, and pneumonia in one. Two patients underwent a third thoracotomy. There was no anastomotic dehiscence or bronchopleural fistula in the patients with pedicled omental wrapping. One patient died due to bronchopleural fistula within 30 days of re-thoracotomy. Six patients died of recurrence or pneumonia from 39 days to one year after re-thoracotomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Traumatic rupture of ascending aorta and left main bronchus

A 14-year-old male pedestrian was hit by a truck and admitted with respiratory distress and subcutaneous emphysema. Aortography revealed disruption of the ascending aorta. Bronchoscopy revealed rupture of the left main bronchus at the carina. Both lesions were repaired using a median sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass, and a transpericardial approach for the bronchial repair. To our knowledge, this is the first report of successful repair of a combined rupture of a major bronchus and the ascending aorta.     

Role of automatic staplers in the aetiology of bronchopleural fistula.

The incidence of bronchopleural fistula in 130 patients who had pneumonectomies has been reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of automatic stapler used to close the bronchus. From January 1979 to February 1982 the parallel jaw stapler (TA-55) was used in 71 patients (group 1). The new hinged jaw stapler (Premium TA-55) was used in 59 patients from March 1982 to April 1984 (group 2). The incidence of bronchopleural fistula was 4.2% in group 1 and 15.2% in group 2 (p less than 0.05). The two staplers were tested on a cadaveric bronchial preparation. Radiographs were subsequently taken of the stapled segments. These showed that with the Premium TA-55 closure of staples was not uniform, being incomplete near the hinge unlike the old style TA stapler, which achieves complete and uniform closure of the staples. It is concluded that this undoubtedly contributes to the significantly higher incidence of bronchopleural fistula, and that the new hinged jaw stapler in its present design is not recommended for use during pneumonectomy.     

Clinical experience of omental pedicle flap for bronchopleural fistula

We present two patients who underwent the omental pedicle flap method for bronchopleural fistula. The first case was a 61-year-old man who developed empyema with bronchial fistula due to recurrent tuberculosis resisted to chemotherapy. He underwent complete muscle and omental flap closure of empyema space. The second case was a 63-year-old man who underwent pneumonectomy for adenocarcinoma of the lung. About two weeks after the operation, a bronchopleural fistula developed at the bronchial stump. He underwent complete omental flap closure of fistula. They are doing well 18 and 9 months following operation, respectively. The omental pedicle flap method is clinically useful as a closure method for bronchopleural fistula because of excellent blood supply of the omentum.     

Bronchial closure methods and risks for bronchopleural fistula in pulmonary resections: how a surgeon may choose the optimum method?

There is debate about which bronchial closure technique is the best to prevent bronchopleural fistulas (BPFs). We aim to assess the effect of bronchial closure procedures and patients' characteristics on BPF occurrence in pulmonary resections. Bronchial closures in 625 consecutive patients were assessed. Stumps were closed by manual suturing in 204 and by mechanical stapling in 421 cases. In the mechanical stapling group, stapling supported by manual suture was performed in 170 cases. BPFs occurred in 3.8%. Of these, stapling was used in 5.0%, whereas manual suturing was used in 1.5% (P=0.04). BPFs were more prevalent among patients who had undergone pneumonectomy (P<0.01), right pneumonectomy (P<0.01), stapler closure (P<0.01), patients with co-factors (P<0.01), and patients who had undergone preoperative neo-adjuvant (P=0.01) or postoperative adjuvant therapy (P=0.03). There was no difference in the frequency of BPF between patients with and without adjuvant support in the stapling group. The optimum bronchial closure method has to be chosen by considering the patient and bronchus based characteristics. This has to be assessed carefully, especially in pneumonectomy and co-factors. The manual closure seems to be the more preferable method in risky patients. An additive support suture on the bronchial stump does not decrease the risk of BPF.     

Use of omental pedicle flap for the prevention of bronchopleural fistula after surgery: an unsuccessful case in a management of bronchopleural fistula

We report a case of bronchopleural fistula after preoperative neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer. A 55-year-old man admitted to our institution and was diagnosed to have advanced lung cancer. Right pneumonectomy was carried out after chemotherapy. Parietal pleura and the right main bronchus were thick because of severe fibrosis due to chemotherapy. On the 16th postoperative day, bronchopleural fistula was found. After drainage, further resection of bronchial stump and wrapping with omentum was carried out. However, he died of pneumonia due to repeated bronchopleural fistula. Since this experience, we use omental wrapping procedure in patients undergoing surgery for the hilar type lung cancer after chemotherapy, and conclude that omental wrapping is useful for prevention of bronchopleural fistula.     

Closure of chronic postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula using the transsternal transpericardial approach

Thirteen patients with postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula occurring 4 months to 10 years after the initial operation have been treated with a transsternal transpericardial approach after the associated empyema had been treated by either tube thoracostomy or open-window thoracostomy. In 10 patients, there were contraindications to using an ipsilateral transthoracic approach. In 10 of the 13 patients, the procedure was successful. Three fistulas recurred; two were quite small, one of them closing spontaneously within 6 months. There were no deaths or clinically significant morbidity related to the transsternal approach. We have found this technique to be most applicable in those patients in whom other procedures have failed to resolve the problem. The technique is relatively simple and safe.