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

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a pathological communication between thebronchial tree and pleural space. BPFs are commonly seen after lung surgery, and are lesscommon in trauma, lung abscess, and radiation therapy. In this study, we describe theclinical course and surgery of a case of pulmonary necrosis and BPF in a patient infectedwith coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The patient was a 54-year-old man with multiple myeloma and endstagerenal disease from the last 8 years. He had a history of coronary artery bypass graftingfrom the last 3 years. He also suffered from progressive shortness of breath and dry coughsince March 2019.

The results of this study showed that BPF is one of the most severecomplications after thorax surgery, and there is no effective prevention methodparticularly in this patient who had COVID-19 pneumonia. Therefore, early intervention,especially when diagnosed at an early stage, by strengthening the stump inside the thoraxor thoracotomy in the open window may eventually accelerate the closure of the BPF andimprove the survival.