1994 Volume 8 Issue 5 Pages 590-595
A 68-year-old male underwent left upper lobectomy and wedge resection of the main bronchus for squamous cell carcinoma. The patient received postoperative rediation therapy in a total dose of 50 Gy. Two months later, he developed radiation pneumonia. Fifteen months after the surgery, the patient experienced an increased sensation of dyspnea during exercise. Bronchoscopy revealed a pin-hole like stenosis at the orifice of the left lower bronchus. We performed ballon dilatation of the stenosis. After that procedure, the sensation of dyspnea during exercise disappeared, and the pulmonary function improved. Fourteen months after the balloon dilatation, bronchial restenosis has not been found, and the patient's quality of life has improved. Thus, balloon dilatation may be the first choice in the treatment of post-lobectomy bronchial stenosis.
