[A pancreatico-bronchial fistula with right hydropneumothorax]

A 39-year-old heavy drinker was admitted to Saga Medical School Hospital on February 21th, 1987. He had suffered from dyspnea, chest pain and lumbago three weeks prior to admission. His chest X-ray showed right hydropneumothorax and right lower lobe atelectasis and his CT scan showed a cystic lesion in the mediastinum. His laboratory data showed a high level of amylase in serum, urine and pleural effusion. A fistula connecting the pancreas to right pleural cavity was demonstrated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In addition, bronchoscopy showed complete obstruction of the right lower bronchus (B7). These bronchoscopic findings and hydropneumothorax on his chest X-ray suggested the leakage of pancreas juice through the pancreatico-pleural fistula injured the lung tissue directly and produced a bronchopleural fistula. In this case, hyperalimentation and drug therapy using protease inhibitor resulted in successful closure of the fistula and reexpansion of the collapsed lung.