Abstract
A 41-year-old male patient visited our hospital because of persistent cough and sputum. Chest roentogenogram showed calcification in the right hilum and an infiltrative shadow consistent with so-called "middle lobe syndrome" in the right lung field. Bronchoscopy and CT scanning revealed a stone obstructing the right middle bronchus. The stone was removed by surgical intervention since it was difficult to do so endoscopically. Right middle and lower lobectomy was performed because adhesion around the right middle lobe artery was so severe that the ligation and division of the artery was impossible. The patient enjoys good health at the present time although intrathoracic infection developed early in the postoperative course.
Broncholithiasis should be cured by surgery when endoscopical method is hard to hold and remove the stone, or when an irreversible change is formed in the lung tissues distal to the obstruction.
