Continuous endobronchial suctioning for refractory post lobectomy lung atelectasis: a case report

The presentation of post lung resection atelectasis can vary between simple atelectasis and total lung collapse i.e., “white – out”, making its treatment demanding in many occasions. We herein present the technique of continuous suctioning of the right upper lobe (RUL) by positioning a suction catheter inside the right upper lobe bronchus (RULB) through a tracheostomy in a sedated patient. This technique was used in the case of a 70-year-old patient who underwent a complicated redo thoracotomy and right lower lobectomy for lung cancer after a previous middle lobectomy via double thoracotomy for similar pathology. He had a significant ankylosis spondylitis past medical history with bamboo spine treated with long term high doses of steroids and methotrexate. Post redo surgery he developed respiratory failure with a radiologically significant RUL collapse, i.e., a “white-out”, of the operated side which was refractory to usual conservative or bronchoscopic treatment. As a last resort, and in an effort to avoid high risk pneumonectomy, the patient was sedated, and a suction catheter was left inside the RULB under direct bronchoscopic guidance. This allowed the secretions inside the airways to be cleared, giving the remaining upper lobe infection time to subside, protected the stump from infective secretions and blind suctioning and led to avoidance of a high-risk pneumonectomy. The upper lobe cleared up from its collapse and patient’s discharge from high dependency unit was achieved. This described maneuver can be useful in refractory cases of atelectasis when other measures have failed, in borderline patients or in patients where further surgery is technically cumbersome.