PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF BRONCHIAL FISTULA FOLLOWING PNEUMONECTOMY FOR LUNG-CANCER

Bronchial fistula was found in 5.4 % of 542 lung cancer patients treated with pneumonectomy. A relationship between occurence of fistula and laterality of lesion, extent of surgery, procedure for closing the bronchial stump and gender was established. Bronchial fistula was most common following right-side pneumonectomy which is accounted for by postoperative anatomic conditions. To prevent bronchial fistula formation, mechanical suturing of the bronchial stump supplemented by procedure after Sweet should be performed. The bronchial stump should be shielded with adjacent tissue, as suggested by the authors.