[Re-operation for Inflammatory Lung Diseases].

Area of Science:

• Thoracic surgery
• Pulmonary medicine
• Infectious diseases

Background:

• Inflammatory lung diseases can necessitate re-operations after initial lung resection.
• Persistent air leaks and infected lung cavities pose significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present two traditional re-operative techniques for managing complications following lung resection: thoracoplasty and cavernostomy.
• To describe the indications, surgical methods, and considerations for each procedure.

Main Methods:

• Thoracoplasty involves rib resection (typically 2nd-6th) to obliterate pleural spaces, with scapular tip resection if the 6th rib is removed.
• Cavernostomy entails opening infected residual lung cavities for drainage, with incision placement guided by cavity location.
• Procedures focus on space obliteration and cavity drainage, with delayed closure of cavernostomy sites.

Main Results:

• Thoracoplasty effectively obliterates residual pleural spaces, preventing prolonged air leaks.
• Cavernostomy provides drainage for infected lung cavities, addressing pathogens like Aspergillus and non-tuberculous mycobacteria.
• Both methods are presented as effective, albeit traditional, treatments for refractory post-resection lung inflammation.

Conclusions:

• Thoracoplasty and cavernostomy remain valuable, traditional surgical options for specific inflammatory lung complications post-resection.
• Careful technique and patient selection are crucial for successful outcomes with these re-operative procedures.