Abstract
A 30-year-old man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was admitted to our ICU because of acute respiratory failure, and immediately intubated and mechanically ventilated. Four weeks later, pneumothorax developed. This pneumothorax was treated with continuous chest drainage, but persistent air leaks continued. This resulted in inadequate lung expansion and inappropriate oxygenation. The definitive treatment for continuous pneumothorax is surgical repair. In this case, however, the severe respiratory failure did not allow any surgical procedure. To decrease the air leakage, we decided to implement bronchial embolization with endobronchial spigots. As a result, the air leaks were successfully decreased, and he was weaned from the ventilator. One week later, he safely underwent elective lung-volume reduction surgery. Endobronchial occlusion seems to be a useful procedure for patients with severe respiratory failure caused by persistent pneumothorax.
