Objective To explore the safety and efficacy for patients with central airway-pleural fistula (APF) treated by atrial septal defect (ASD) occluder. Methods This was a retrospective study. Between January 2017 and October 2021, a total of 16 patients with postoperative APF were treated with ASD occluder through bronchoscope under local anesthesia combined with sedation. The efficacy and complication were recorded during and after the procedure. Results Sixteen patients were recruited in this study and the average age was 60.7 years (range 31 - 74 years). The main etiology for APF was lobectomy/segmentectomy (n=12), pneumonectomy (n=2), radical esophagectomy (n=1) or decortication for chronic empyema (n=1). Totally, 4 fistulas were located in right main bronchus, 3 in left main bronchus, 3 in right upper bronchus, 1 in right middle bronchus, 2 in right lower bronchus and 3 in left upper bronchus. The median diameter of APF was 7.8 mm (ranged from 4 to 18 mm) and the median diameter of ASD occluder inserted was 10.0 mm (ranged from 6 to 20 mm). Successful occlusion of APF was observed in 15 patients (15/16) and 1 patient died of multiple organ failure caused by bacteremia 14 days after the procedure. Fourteen patients were recruited for long-term follow-up, on a median follow-up period of 16.2 months (ranged from 3 to 46 months). There were 12 patients of complete remission and 2 patients of partial remission and only one patient took a second operation due to the enlargement of fistula and translocation of occluder. At follow-up, 4 patients died and the reasons were directly related to the primary etiology, and no patient died due to APF recurrence. Conclusion Endobronchial closure of central APF using ASD occluder is a minimally invasive but effective modality of treatment with satisfactory long-term outcome.
ObjectiveTo explore the safety and efficacy of the treatment of peripheral bronchopleural fistula with customized silicone plug through bronchoscope. MethodsA total of 19 patients with BPF admitted to Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital from July 2017 to May 2023 were included. Detailed medical records of the patients were collected, including etiology, fistula location, treatment methods, complications, and effective rates, to assess the safety and efficacy of customized silicone plug occlusion. ResultsThe average age of the 19 patients was 61.58 years (range from 42～84 years). The fistulas were located at the right upper lobe in 8 cases, the right middle lobe in 2 cases, the right lower lobe in 2 cases, the left upper lobe in 2 cases, and the left lower lobe in 5 cases. Causes included 9 cases after pneumonectomy, 6 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax, 1 case post Microwave Ablation Therapy for lung nodule, 1 case of advanced lung cancer under radiotherapy and chemotherapy, 1 case of candidal pneumonia, and 1 case of pulmonary tuberculosis. 15 patients were successfully occluded for the first time, 1 case failed to place the plug, and 3 cases had silicone plug dislodgement within 1 week after the procedure, with a short-term effective rate of 73.68% (14 cases). A total of 40 customized silicone plugs were placed, with an average of (2.10±0.74), and the mean diameter of the plugs used was 6.4 mm, with a range of 3 to 9 mm. Fifteen patients were recruited for long-term follow-up, with a median follow-up time of 15 months (range from 1.5 to 53 months). One patient developed a new fistula on the 45th day, who was treated with a combined small Y-type single bullet-covered stent for occlusion. One patient died of severe pneumonia 3 months postoperatively, and one died of type II respiratory failure at the 30th month, both deaths were unrelated to the interventional procedure. The long-term effective rate was 68.42% (13 cases). ConclusionPlacing customized silicone plugs through bronchoscopy can rapidly and effectively occlude peripheral BPF, with satisfactory long-term outcome.