title: Bronchoscopic treatment of complex persistent air leaks with endobronchial one-way valves.
abstract: We reported a case series including 5 patients with persistent air-leaks refractory to standard treatment. All patients were unfit for surgery for the presence of co-morbidities and/or severe respiratory failure due to underlying lung diseases. They were successfully treated with bronchoscopic placement of endobronchial one-way valves. Air-leaks stopped in the first 24 h after the procedure in three patients and 3 and 5 days later, respectively, in the remaining two. No complications were observed and follow-up was uneventful in all patients but one died 25 days after the procedure for systemic sepsis due to peritonis. Patients with important, refractory air leaks having clinical repercussions and unfit for surgery should be early reviewed for bronchoscopic valves treatment.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiorelli
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Saveria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carelli
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Ospedale Lacco Ameno, Ischia, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Costanzo
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. mario.santini@unina2.it.|Chirurgia Toracica, Seconda Universita' di Napoli, Piazza Miraglia, 2, 80138, Naples, Italy. mario.santini@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Alveolar pulmonary fistula; Bronchoscopy; Complex; Endobronchial one-way valves; Persistent air leaks