Treatment of post-pulmonectomic bronchial fistulas in thoracic oncosurgery: literature survey and personal experience

Summary. The article surveys modern methods for treatment and prevention of bronchial fistulas resulted from pulmonectomies with lymph node dissection performed in view of lung carcinoma. The earlier used methods for surgical treatment of post-pulmonectomic bronchial fistulas and non-surgical therapy of this complication are described in this article as well as comparative effectiveness of non-surgical therapy and modern surgical treatment methods. The article also presents algorithm of treatment post-pulmonectomic bronchial fistulas depending on operation, duration of illness and general patient’s condition.