[Retrospective Study of Bronchoscopic Intervention Therapy for Bronchopleural Fistula Induced by Pulmonary Surgery]

As a new technique developed in recent years, bronchoscopic intervention therapy has the advantages of minimal invasion, high safety and repeatability. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) induced by surgeries for lung malignancies or benign diseases and the effect of bronchoscopic intervention therapy for BPF, so as to provide support for prevention and treatment of BPF.

Data 64 patients with BPF who were treated by bronchoscopic intervention in Respiratory Disease Center of Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from June 2020 to September 2023 were collected. Patients with fistula diameter ≤5 mm were underwent submucous injection of macrogol, combined with blocking therapy with N-butyl cyanoacrylate, medical bioprotein glue or silicone prosthesis. Patients with fistula diameter >5 mm were implanted with different stents and cardiac occluders. Locations and characteristics of fistulas were summarized, meanwhile, data including Karnofsky performance status (KPS), shortbreath scale (SS), body temperature, pleural drainage volume and white blood cell count before and after operation were observed.

For all 64 patients, 96 anatomic lung resections including pneumonectomy, lobectomy and segmentectomy were executed and 74 fistulas occurred in 65 fistula locations. The proportion of fistula in the right lung (63.5%) was significantly higher than that in the left (36.5%). Besides, the right inferior lobar bronchial fistula was the most common (40.5%). After operation, KPS was significantly increased, while SS, body temperature, pleural drainage volume and white blood cell count were significantly decreased compared to the preoperative values (P<0.05). By telephone follow-up or readmission during 1 month to 38 months after treament, median survival time was 21 months. 33 patients (51.6%) showed complete response, 7 patients (10.9%) showed complete clinical response, 18 patients (28.1%) showed partial response, and 6 patients (9.4%) showed no response. As a whole, the total effective rate of bronchoscopic intervention for BPF was 90.6%.

BPF induced by pulmonary surgery can lead to severe symptoms and it is usually life-threating. Bronchoscopic intervention therapy is one of the fast and effective therapeutic methods for BPF.