[Successful Treatment of Empyema with Bronchial Fistulas by Filling under Thoracoscopic Observation; Report of a Case]

Kyobu Geka. 2015 Nov;68(12):1035-7.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Empyema with fistula usually resists conservative treatment such as thoracic cavity drainage and administration of antibacterial agents, thus it often requires surgeries such as fenestration, omental/muscle filling, and thoracoplasty. However, due to advanced age and poor condition, conducting invasive surgeries is often difficult in elderly patients. We report a case with the improvement of empyema by bronchial filling with endobronchial Watanabe spigot (EWS) under thoracoscopic observation for an 89-year-old patient who had developed chronic empyema with a bronchial fistulas. After filling EWS, air-leakage from bronchial fistula disappeared and the patient could discharged from the hospital successfully.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bronchial Fistula / surgery*
  • Empyema / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Omentum
  • Thoracoscopy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome