Bronchial Fistula: Rare Complication of Treatment with Anlotinib / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Anlotinib is a newly developed small molecule multiple receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor that was approved for the treatment of patients with lung cancer in China. We aim to report 3 cases of rare complication of anlotinib-bronchial fistula (BF) during the treatment of lung cancer patients and summarize the possible causes.@*METHODS@#We collected three patients who developed BF due to anlotinib treatment, and conducted a search of Medline and PubMed for medical literature published between 2018 and 2020 using the following search terms: "anlotinib," "lung cancer," and "fistula."@*RESULTS@#Our literature search produced two case reports (three patients) which, in addition to our three patients. We collated the patients' clinical characteristics including demographic information, cancer type, imaging features, treatment received, risk factors for anlotinib related BF, and treatment-related outcomes. The six patients shared some common characteristics: advanced age, male, concurrent infection symptoms, diabetes mellitus (DM), advanced squamous cell and small cell lung cancers, centrally located tumors, tumor measuring ≥5 cm in longest diameter, and newly formed tumor cavitation after multi-line treatment especially after receiving radiotherapy. Fistula types included broncho-pericardial fistula, broncho-pleural fistula, and esophago-tracheobronchial fistula. Six patients all died within 6 months.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Although anlotinib is relatively safe, it is still necessary to pay attention to the occurrence of BF, a rare treatment side effect that threatens the quality of life and overall survival of patients. Anlotinib, therefore, requires selective use and close observation of high-risk patients.

Spontaneous Oesophageal Perforation: A Case Report

@#A 49-year-old gentleman presented with epigastric pain for one day associated with one episode of vomiting and dyspnoea. Respiratory examination showed reduced breath sound over his left lower zone. He was treated as left spontaneous pneumothorax and left lung empyema requiring left chest tube insertion and intravenous antibiotics. His left pleural fluid biochemistry result was exudative while its centrifuge showed empyema. In ward, we noticed food material draining from his left chest tube during feeding. An urgent contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) thorax showed a left oesophageal-pleural fistula with possible broncho-oesophageal fistula. During oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGDS), air bubbles were seen in his left under-water chest drainage during air-insufflation of the oesophagus. The revised diagnosis was Boerhaave syndrome. He was treated with an esophageal stent to cover the perforation and a left lung decortication via video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for his left empyema. He improved and was discharged well.

Clinical Effect of Pedicled Pericardial Fat Flap in Prevention of Bronchial Pleural Fistula in Bronchial Sleeve Lobectomy / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Bronchial sleeve lobectomy is essential surgical approach to treat centralized lung cancer. It is the best reflected the principle of lung cancer surgery, "remove tumor completely while minimize pulmonary function loss". Bronchial pleural fistula (BPF) is not common but very severe complication of bronchial sleeve lobectomy, that is usually fatal. Present article is to explore clinical effect on prevention of bronchial pleural fistula (BPF) in bronchial sleeve lobectomy, by wrapping brachial anastomosis with pedicled pericardial fat flap.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of 39 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent surgical resection during January 2016 to May 2019 in Lung Cancer Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University were collected and retrospectively analyzed. All of the patients underwent bronchial sleeve lobectomy and a brachial anastomosis wrapping with pedicled pericardial fat flap.@*RESULTS@#All patients recovered well and were discharged within 6 d-14 d after operation. No BPF occurred, nor other severe complications, such as reoperation needing intrathoracic bleeding, several pneumonia and respiratory failure, and life threatening cardiac arrhythmia. Only one patient (1/39) had several anastomotic stenosis and consequential atelectasis of residual lung in operative side 6 months after surgery.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Wrapping bronchial anastomosis with pedicled pericardial fat flap in bronchial lobectomy for centralized NSCLC is a simple and effective approach to prevent BPF, thus safety of the operation could be significantly improved.

The Management of Delayed Post-Pneumonectomy Broncho-Pleural Fistula and Esophago-Pleural Fistula

Broncho-pleural fistula (BPF) and esophago-pleural fistula (EPF) after pulmonary resection are challenging to manage. BPF is controlled by irrigation and sterilization, but such therapy is not sufficient to promote closure of EPF, which usually requires surgical management. However, it is generally difficult to select an appropriate surgical method for closure of BPF and EPF. Here, we report a case of concomitant BPF and EPF after left completion pneumonectomy, in which both fistulas were closed through a right thoracotomy.

Broncho-Pleural Fistula with Hydropneumothorax at CT: Diagnostic Implications in Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease with Pleural Involvement

OBJECTIVE: To determine the patho-mechanism of pleural effusion or hydropneumothorax in Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease through the computed tomographic (CT) findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 5 patients who had pleural fluid samples that were culture-positive for MAC between January 2001 and December 2013. The clinical findings were investigated and the radiological findings on chest CT were reviewed by 2 radiologists. RESULTS: The 5 patients were all male with a median age of 77 and all had underlying comorbid conditions. Pleural fluid analysis revealed a wide range of white blood cell counts (410-100690/microL). The causative microorganisms were determined as Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare in 1 and 4 patients, respectively. Radiologically, the peripheral portion of the involved lung demonstrated fibro-bullous changes or cavitary lesions causing lung destruction, reflecting the chronic, insidious nature of MAC lung disease. All patients had broncho-pleural fistulas (BPFs) and pneumothorax was accompanied with pleural effusion. CONCLUSION: In patients with underlying MAC lung disease who present with pleural effusion, the presence of BPFs and pleural air on CT imaging are indicative that spread of MAC infection is the cause of the effusion.

Bronchoscopic Treatment of a Bronchopleural Fistula with using Coils and Fibrin Glue: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is relatively rare, but it has high morbidity and mortality rates and it is associated with a prolonged hospital stay and high costs. Surgical treatment is the treatment of choice, but other minimal invasive forms of conservative management, and particularly bronchoscopy, have recently been investigated. We report here on the bronchoscopic treatment of a bronchopleural fistula accompanied necrotizing pneumonia, and we used coils and fibrin glue to treat the fistula.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)for the treatment of broncho-pleural fistula after pulmonary lobectomy with lung cancer / 中国微创外科杂志

We present a minimal invasive technique for the treatment of broncho-pleural fistula (BPF) after pulmonary lobectomy with lung cancer. 2 cases of BPF were found at the 4th and 7th day after pulmonary lobectomy respectively. They were reoperated on by VATS, direct resuture of stump and consolidation with acrylic or fibrin glue. Both cases were cured. Authors consider mentioned procedure might be a feasible therapeutic approach for early broncho-pleural fistula.

Analysis of causes and management of bronchus-pleural fistula after pneumonectomy of lung cancer / 中国癌症杂志

Purpose: To evaluate the causes and management of bronchial pleural fistula after pneumonectomy. Methods: Retrqspective analysis for Bronchus-pleural fistula( BPF) of 16 cases after pneumonectomy of 820 cases of lung cancer in our hospital. BPF occurred in right peumonectomy( 13/320) is more than in left pneumonectomy(3/500) . BPF occurred in the positive stump of bronchus ( 10/41) more than in negative stump of bronchus (6/779) ; BPF occurred in preoperative chemotherapy cases( 5/110) more than in non-preoperative chemotherapy cases( 11/710), No BPF occurred in the 70 cases in which the bronchial stump was covered by autogenous tissue. The management principle in early stage is thoracocentesis and wash with antibiotics; after identification of the infection in thoracic cavity or BPF, closed drainage for thorax was done. If the results of drainage are not very good, open drainage is necessary. Results: 2 cases were discharged with completely healing, (the cavity of 1 case was washed again and again with 5% NaHC03and urokinase , another case was operated again to cover the BPF using muscle flaps 3 days after the first operation), 8 cases were discharged with closed drainage, 4 cases were discharged with open drainage changing the wound covering every day, the BPF did not heal for a long time after open drainage in 1 case, 1 case died of function failure of body organs. Conclusions: BPF is related to management of the bronchial stump and radical resection for tumor, It is a useful method to cover the bronchial stump with autogenous tissues to decrease BPF's, especially for right pneumonectomy and preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy cases. The management principle of BPF is thoracocentesis for early cases, especially washing with antibiotics and 5% NaHC03and urokinase repeatedly, closed drainage when necessary is also a good method for curing empyema and BPF.

Pleural Effusion and Pancreatico-Pleural Fistula Associated withAsymptomatic Pancreatic Disease / 결핵

Effusions arising from acute pancreatitis are usually small, left sided and self limiting. The incidence of pleural effusions in acute pancreatitis is reported between 3% and 17%. In chronic pancreatitis, as a consequence of fistula and pancreatitic pseudocyst formation or by spontaneous rupture of a pancreatic psudocyst directly into thoracic cavity, extremely large effusions may be seen. When the underlying pacreatic disease is asymptomatic, the diagnosis is made by measuring the amylase content of the pleural fluid. We experience a case of left sided pleural effusions caused by pancreatico-pleural fistula associated with pancreatic pseudocyst. The diagnosis was made by measuring of pleural fluid amylase level (80000U/L). Abdominal CT scan revealed pancreatic pseudocyct and pancreatitis with extension to left pleural space through esophageal hiatus and extension to left subdiaphragmatic space. Left pleural effusions were decreased after fasting, total parenteral nutrition and percutaneous pleural fluid catheter drainage. We reported a case of pleural effusions and pacreatico-pleural fistula asssociated with asymptomatic pancreatic disease with review of literatures.

Two Cases of Subarachnoid - pleural Fistula Deu to Injury: Case Report

The occurrence of fistulous tract between the thoracic subarachnoid space and the pleural cavity due to injury is uncommon. The one was developed after traffic accident and treated by surgical repair of the fistula : The other was post-operative complication of costotransversectomy for T2 sympathectomy. The complication was realized by the surgeon who was aware of the small leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the dura propria of the T2 nerve root at the time of surgery. Intermittent pleural punctures for drainage and semisitting position were followed by spontaneous closure of the fistula. These cases were reported so that the uncommon condition might be added to the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion.