[Temporary occlusion of the bronchi in patients with bronchial fistula]

Temporary bronchial occlusion to reestablish air tightness of the resected lung has been performed in 42 patients. Persistent expanding of the lung occurred within 2-3 days in a single early bronchial occlusion (on day 1-2). In late occlusion (on day 10-15) the residual pleural cavity disappears on day 30-35. Steady expanding of the lung in spontaneous pneumothorax of tuberculous or nontuberculous origin and in empyema (89 patients) was observed within 30 days in 76.5, 87.5 and 36.3% of cases, respectively, unless fistula size is more than 1 cm. In the rest cases (31.5%) temporary bronchial occlusion allows cutting air passage, partial expanding of the lung, cleansing of empyema cavity, alleviation of purulent intoxication, this creating conditions for radical surgery.