Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for late bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy

Pneumonectomy is still a high-risk surgical procedure. Postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula is an especially severe complication with a high mortality rate. Although several reports have discussed risk factors for early bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy, only a few have reported them for late bronchopleural fistula. We reviewed cases of late bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy and investigated its risk factors.

Sixty-four patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer underwent pneumonectomy at our institution from June 1999 to December 2004. Among them, 5 who developed bronchopleural fistula were investigated.

All of the 5 patients were male; 3 had undergone right pneumonectomy and 2 left pneumonectomy. The period between surgery and the appearance of bronchopleural fistula ranged from 36 to 164 days. We found that the preoperative serum albumin level was significantly lower in the patients with late bronchopleural fistula. Induction therapy, surgical side, age, anemia, arterial blood oxygen, and respiratory function did not affect the occurrence of bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy.

A preoperative low-serum albumin level, indicative of poor nutritional status, is a risk factor for late bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy for nonsmall cell lung cancer.