Bronchopleural Fistula Following Anatomical Lung Resection

A bronchopleural fistula (BPF) between the central airways and the pleural cavity is a potentially life-threatening complication following major thoracic surgery. Therefore, pre-operative acknowledgement of the patient and procedure related risk factors, as well as the preventative surgical management options are key. Early detection of a BPF after anatomical lung resections are imperative and the optimal choice of surgical repair, endobronchial intervention or conservative management should be guided by the time of onset, the extent of the lung resection, the general health status of the patient including infection control and nutritional status, and the fistula size.