Journal of Emergency Practice and Trauma

Pulmonary necrosis and bronchopleural fistula in a patient infected with COVID-19: A case report

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

Mohsen Eshraghi 1
Enayatollah Noori 2
Ahmad Kachoie 1
Moien Zolmafakher 1

1 Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

2 General Practitioner, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

https://doi.org/10.34172/jept.2021.07
Abstract
Objective: Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a pathological communication between the
bronchial tree and pleural space. BPFs are commonly seen after lung surgery, and are less
common in trauma, lung abscess, and radiation therapy. In this study, we describe the
clinical course and surgery of a case of pulmonary necrosis and BPF in a patient infected
with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Case Presentation: The patient was a 54-year-old man with multiple myeloma and endstage
renal disease from the last 8 years. He had a history of coronary artery bypass grafting
from the last 3 years. He also suffered from progressive shortness of breath and dry cough
since March 2019.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that BPF is one of the most severe
complications after thorax surgery, and there is no effective prevention method
particularly in this patient who had COVID-19 pneumonia. Therefore, early intervention,
especially when diagnosed at an early stage, by strengthening the stump inside the thorax
or thoracotomy in the open window may eventually accelerate the closure of the BPF and
improve the survival.

Keywords

Pulmonary necrosis
Bronchopleural fistula
COVID-19
Subjects
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Journal of Emergency Practice and Trauma
Volume 8, Issue 2
July 2022
Pages 141-144

  • Receive Date 15 January 2021
  • Revise Date 01 April 2021
  • Accept Date 12 April 2021

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