Treatment of Bronchopleural Fistula with Carbolic Acid instilled through Bronchofiberscope in post-pulmonectomy patients

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of carbolic acid treatment of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) using bronchofiberscope (BFS) in post-pulmonectomy patients. METHOD: Twelve patients with post-pulmonectomy BPF were enrolled in this study at the Liaoning Tumor Hospital between February 2009 and March 2012. Three patients had BPF after the right pneumonectomy, six patients after left pneumonectomy, one patient after the right middle and low lobectomy and two patients after left upper lobectomy. BPF patients were instilled with 100 % carbolic acid (0.5–1 ml one time every week) through BFS on the mucosal surface around the fistula, and the bubble disappearance was monitored. Treatment was repeated if the bubble remained. RESULTS: No haemorrhage, severe dyspnea or SpO2 declines occurred in all the 12 patients during the bronchoscopic therapy. BPF orifices were closed in five patients after receiving 5 treatments with carbolic acid, 1 patient received 2 treatments, 1 patient was given 3 treatments, 2 patients received 4 treatments and 3 patients were given 7 treatments. Follow-up was conducted for six months following bronchoscopy. The average treatment and fistula closure time were calculated from the data collected as 20 min and 30 days, respectively, and the cure rate was 100 %. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining results revealed that the white flat hyperplasia tissue after carbolic acid treatment was inflammatory granulation tissue. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that instillation of 100 % carbolic acid with BFS to treat BPF was 100 % effective, which can be a support for post-pulmonectomy BPF.