Bronchial Occlusion with Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot and Fibrin Glue for Empyema due to a Ruptured Lung Abscess

Abstract

Background. Empyema with bronchial fistula due to a ruptured lung abscess is a rare occurrence which frequently requires surgical management. Case. A 48-year-old man with dyspnea and general fatigue was admitted to our hospital. We diagnosed him as having empyema with bronchial fistula due to a ruptured lung abscess. Following chest drainage and the administration of intravenous antibiotics, his symptoms improved; however, pulmonary air leakage continued. Therefore, we performed endoscopic bronchial occlusion using Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot (EWS) and fibrin glue. Subsequently, the air leakage stopped and his chest tube was removed. Conclusion. Endoscopic bronchial occlusion using a combination of EWS and fibrin glue can be an effective treatment option for treating empyema with bronchial fistula due to a ruptured lung abscess.