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Computed tomography-guided drainage for large pulmonary bullae

Department of Oncological and Regenerative Surgery, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, 3-18-15 Kuramotocho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan

^* Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-88-633-7143; fax: +81-88-633-7144
kondo{at}clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp

Patients with large pulmonary emphysematous bullae often present therapeutic problems because of their poor respiratory function. We performed computed tomography (CT)-guided drainage in two patients with large pulmonary bullae who were considered poor surgical candidates. This method could be safely accomplished in a few minutes under local anesthesia and sufficient collapse of the bullae was obtained in both cases. We could control prolonged air leak from the catheter with bronchofiberoptic bronchial occlusion in one patient. CT-guided bulla drainage is a simple, speedy and minimally invasive treatment method for inoperable patients with large pulmonary bullae.

Key Words: Bullae; Computed tomography; Emphysema; Minimally invasive surgery