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Case Reports

Bronchial Obstruction Due to Teflon Pledgets Migration 13 Years After Lobectomy

Section of Thoracic Surgery, Surgical Services, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, Washington

Accepted for publication December 6, 2007.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Vallières, Thoracic and Foregut Surgery, 1101 Madison, Ste 850, Seattle, WA 98104 (Email: eric.vallieres{at}swedish.org).

Bronchopleural fistula is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after pulmonary resection. Different techniques of reinforcing the bronchial stump to prevent this complication have been described. Pledgeted sutures have been suggested for this purpose but have the potential to erode into the bronchus years after resection. We report an unusual case of airway obstruction 13 years after lung resection where pledgeted sutures had been used to reinforce a lobectomy stump. Bronchoscopic management of this rare complication consisted of endobronchial débridement and placement of a silicon stent to allow remodeling of the stenotic airway.