Bronchopleural Fistula and Endobronchial Valve Placement in a Patient With COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report With Literature Review

Zaryab Umar; Usman Ilyas; Salman Ashfaq; Deesha Shah; Mahmoud Nassar; Theo Trandafirescu

doi:10.7759/cureus.24202

Bronchopleural Fistula and Endobronchial Valve Placement in a Patient With COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report With Literature Review

Cureus. 2022 Apr 17;14(4):e24202. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24202. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Authors

Zaryab Umar¹, Usman Ilyas¹, Salman Ashfaq², Deesha Shah¹, Mahmoud Nassar¹, Theo Trandafirescu³

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Queens Hospital Center, New York, USA.
² Internal Medicine, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, PAK.
³ Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.

Abstract

Bronchopleural fistulas (BPFs) are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Though most commonly seen after surgical interventions, they are increasingly reported as complications of COVID-19 infection. We present the case of an 86-year-old man with COVID-19 pneumonia and subsequent bronchopleural fistula (BPF) with persistent air leak. Endobronchial valves were placed in apical and posterior segments of the right upper lobe resulting in successful cessation of the air leak. The purpose of the case report and literature review is to help guide the management of persistent air leak.

Keywords: bronchopleural fistula; covid-19; endobronchial valve; interventional pulmonology; pneumothorax.

Publication types

Case Reports