Surgical management of bilateral bronchiectases: results in 29 patients

Bronchiectasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Staged bilateral segmental resection of the lungs is performed in selected patients. Our experience of surgical removal of 87 bilateral bronchiectases in 29 patients during an 11-year period was reviewed retrospectively. High-resolution computed tomography was performed preoperatively in all patients to locate the anatomic sites of bronchiectasis. The mortality and morbidity of the surgical procedure, clinical symptoms, age distribution, etiology, bacteriology, and operative procedures were analyzed. There were 22 males (76%) and 7 females (24%), aged 5 to 60 years, with a mean age of 30 years. Complications developed in 11 patients (38%); atelectasia was the most common (14%). There was one hospital death. Clinical symptoms disappeared in 19 (66%) patients, improved in 5 (17%), and were unchanged in 4 (14%). Staged bilateral resection for bronchiectases can be performed at any age with acceptable morbidity and mortality.