Influence of Postoperative Bronchoscopy on Pulmonary Complications After Anatomical Lung Resections.

Respiratory complications are the largest group of complications following anatomical lung resections. Most of these complications result from a disrupted evacuation of respiratory secretions. At present, prevention of such complications involve: aspirating of secretions with a catheter during surgery through an intubation tube, active postoperative rehabilitation, mucolytic treatment and effective postoperative pain management. Suctioning of secretions by a catheter through an intubation tube does not, however, allow for removal of secretions from entire bronchial tree. Bronchofiberoscopy with a small-diameter flexible bronchoscope and thorough, systematic aspiration of secretions from respiratory tract immediately after surgery could presumably result in more effective bronchial cleansing and reduce risk of respiratory complications after surgery. Although the British Thoracic Society guidelines do not recommend routine bronchoscopy as a standard postoperative management after lung resections, they are based on a single, randomized, study analyzing a small group of patients. Bronchoscopy with systematic aspiration of secretions done with a thin flexible scope is a safe procedure, without risk of complications. It does not cause any additional discomfort to the patients and allows for much more accurate aspiration of the bronchial secretions than with a catheter inserted blindly through an intubation tube. It also gives an opportunity to directly evaluate segmental and subsegmental bronchial patency. This is particularly important in patients with COPD who tend to accumulate large amounts of mucus secretion in the bronchial tree.