Surgical treatment in bronchiectasis: analysis of 166 patients.
BACKGROUND
Bronchiectasis is usually caused by pulmonary infections and bronchial obstruction. It is still a serious problem in developing countries as our country. We reviewed the morbidity and mortality rates and outcome of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis.


METHODS
Between 1990 and 2000, 166 patients (92 female and 74 male patients) underwent pulmonary resection for bronchiectasis. The mean age was 34.1 years (range, 7-70 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 5.7 years.


RESULTS
Symptoms were copious amount of purulent sputum in 135 patients, expectoration of foul-smelling sputum in 109, hemoptysis in 35 and cough in all patients. The indication for pulmonary resection was failure of medical therapy in 158 patients, massive hemoptysis in five and lung abscess in three. The disease was bilateral in six patients and mainly confined to the lower lobe in 127. One hundred and twenty patients had a lobectomy, 13 had a pneumonectomy, 21 had a segmentectomy and a combination of these approaches in 18. Operative morbidity and mortality were seen in 18 (10.5%) and in three (1.7%) patients, respectively. Follow-up was complete in 148 patients with a mean of 4.2 years. Overall, 111 patients were asymptomatic after surgical treatment, symptoms were improved in 31, and unchanged or worse in six.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical treatment of bronchiectasis is more effective in patient with localized disease. It is satisfactory with acceptable ratio of morbidity and mortality.
Kutlay
Hakan
H
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
Cangir
Ayten Kayi
AK
Enön
Serkan
S
Sahin
Ekber
E
Akal
Murat
M
Güngör
Adem
A
Ozdemir
Nezih
N
Kavukçu
Sevket
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000601:surgery; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001995:Bronchography; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D012086:Reoperation; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology