Pulmonary resection in cystic fibrosis: a case report

There is limited experience world wide in the management of patients with cystic fibrosis who undergo thoracotomy. Because of their shortened life-span and the diffuse nature of pulmonary involvement, resection is seldom performed for uncontrolled pulmonary infections. An 8-year-old boy with cystic fibrosis and a chronic infection of the right lung with abscess formation underwent pulmonary resection after 1 week of antibiotic therapy with tobramycin, ticarcillin and cloxacillin, and physiotherapy. Postoperatively, he was kept in the intensive care unit for 48 hours. Physiotherapy was begun immediately after operation and continued every 2 hours for the first day. The preoperative antibiotic therapy was continued. The postoperative course was smooth and the boy did well for 1 year. Over the next 6 months his condition deteriorated and he died 18 months after operation. Pulmonary resection should not be used in patients whose pulmonary infections can be controlled medically but may be of value for those with uncontrollable localized infections.