[Tracheobronchography in patients with pleuro-pulmonary complications after lung resection].

Tracheobronchography was performed in 79 patients with different bronchopleural complications after lung resection. In 38 of 42 patients with pleural empyema the presence of bronchial or bronchiolar fistula was found, residual pleural or pleuropulmonary cavities were noted in 24 patients, recurrent tuberculosis or bronchiectases--in 13. The results obtained in contrast investigation of the tracheobronchial tree allowed a proper selection of the method of treatment for different complications, a determination of the extent of a reoperation and prevention of recurrent complications following the repeat surgery.

[Tracheobronchography in the diagnosis of bronchial fistulas following pulmonectomy].

The authors present an analysis of contrast investigations of the trachea and the main bronchus stump in patients subjected to pneumonectomy (35 patients), the first group--with the presence of bronchial fistula and pleural empyema, the second group--with a suspicion to fistula in the stump. Tracheobronchography proved to be considerably more informative with respect to the diagnosis of bronchial fistula, than tracheobronchoscopy in patients of both groups. Contrast studies of the stump gave objective evidences as to the length and form of the stump, its communication with the pleural cavity, in 1/4 of patients it enabled the investigators to reveal the presence of cavaties adjacent to the stump in the mediastinum and to pinpoint further in indications to surgery.