Lobectomy for destroyed lung in quadriplegic patients.
BACKGROUND
Sixty-seven percent of quadriplegic patients after spinal cord injury (SCI) develop respiratory complications, which leads to death in one third. Preventive measures may fail to avoid parenchymal destruction and possible septic complications.


METHODS
Three quadriplegic patients (C3-C6 level), with destroyed lower lobes and incontrollable septic symptoms, were subjected to lobectomy.


RESULTS
Neither operative morbidity nor mortality was observed. All patients were discharged home without ventilatory assistance, and were symptom-free.


CONCLUSIONS
When the endobronchial chronic infection calls for repeated fiberoptic bronchoscopies to clear the bronchial tree, the parenchymal destruction is limited to one lobe of the lung, and there is evidence of impending septic complications, lobectomy may be indicated in quadriplegics to eradicate the source of infection.
Rocco
G
G
Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera Morelli, Sondalo Sondrio, Italy. grocco@novanet.it
Della Pona
C
C
Massera
F
F
Robustellini
M
M
Rossi
G
G
Rizzi
A
A
D000328:Adult; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000150:complications*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed