title: [Early surgical treatment of bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the method of early surgical treatment of bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients (9 males and 3 females with a mean age of 58.6-/+5.7 years) with bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy received a reoperation within 72 h after a definite diagnosis. Empyema was found in none of the 12 cases. Fistula occurred within 4 to 17 days (8 days in average) after the operation. The fistula of the residual main bronchus was resected, and the thoracic cavity was asepticized by flushing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten patients were discharged with complete healing. One patient was discharged following open drainage with daily change of the wound dress. One patient died due to multiple organ failure. The hospital stay of the patients ranged from 18 to 49 days (31 days in average) after the reoperation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy, in case that empyema and multiple organ failure do not occur, can be healed by closing the fistula with the stapling device in early stage. Flushing the thoracic cavity is also necessary after the reoperation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100048, China. zhangbaoshi407@163.com
authors.forename: Bao-shi
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chang-hai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ying-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Nan-nan
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010994:Pleura / Q000601:surgery; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013510:Pulmonary Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors