Abstract
Eight patients with aspergillosis at sites of bronchial anastomosis were studied clinically and bronchofiberscopically. A definite diagnosis was obtained in all 8 cases. The incidence of this disease originating at sites of bronchial anastomosis was 4.5%. The period until postoperative diagnosis was more than 6 months in all cases. The location of the site was the upper lobe bronchus in half of the patients. Positivity rates for sputum cultures and gel precipitation tests were both 12.5%, the accuracy thus being low. Conversely, the rate for bronchofiberscopic biopsy was 100% positive. Upon evaluation of the bronchofiberscopic findings, the lesions were found to be localized only at the bronchial anastomosis, and were visualized as a necrotic mass or necrotic coat. We believe that it is possible to differentiate such lesions from recurrence of lung cancer at the bronchial anastomosis on the basis of bronchofiberscopic findings alone. Without therapy, amelioration was seen in 4 of 6 cases, and no aggravation of the lesions was found in all cases. We conclude that aspergillosis at sites of bronchial anastomosis is a localized disease, for which bronchofiberscopy is of diagnostic value.
