title: Pulmonary function tests in bronchopleural fistula.
abstract: A 53-year-old white man underwent a left pneumonectomy for alveolar cell carcinoma. His postoperative course was complicated by pneumonia. At a follow-up clinic visit, the patient complained of a "roaring sound" during respiration. A follow-up PFT did not show the expected loss of volume (nitrogen washout) from a preoperative PFT, suggesting a bronchopleural fistula. A chest x-ray film and xenon lung scan confirmed the diagnosis. The fistula was surgically repaired.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Alencherry
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fagan
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005402:Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014109:Total Lung Capacity