Bronchovenous Fistula During Adult Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report

Bronchovenous fistula (BVF) associated with adult cardiac surgery is a rarely reported life-threatening condition. We present a 75-year-old woman who developed a BVF during cardiac surgery. Dense adhesion in the pleural and pericardial cavities was noted. Restrictive pulmonary pathology required high airway pressure. Transesophageal echocardiography and hemoglobin measurement were helpful for the timely diagnosis of BVF, which was controlled by transection of the right upper pulmonary vein where a vent catheter had been inserted. Injuries around the cannulated site presumably initiated the BVF, which was worsened by high-pressure ventilation. Therefore, cannulation site might be a risk factor for BVF.