HEMORRHAGE DUE TO INFLAMMATORY EROSION OF THE PULMONARY-ARTERY STUMP IN POSTPNEUMONECTOMY BRONCHOPLEURAL FISTULA

Bleeding from the pulmonary artery in patients with a bronchopleural f istula after pneumonectomy is a rare but devastating complication. The incidence is unknown, but our data suggest an incidence of 4% in all postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistulas. Two case histories are pres ented in which the anterior transpericardial approach was used to stop the pulmonary bleeding by direct suturing. Nevertheless, 1 patient di ed 5 days later because of irreversible brain damage; the other patien t recovered well after a protracted convalescence.