OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study — evaluation of treatment results of patients with c COVID-19 pneumonia complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experience of endoscopic treatment 6 patients with COVID-19 lung complications (5 men and 1 women with age 33—67 years (mean 45.33±13.03 years)). The disease was complicated by the lung destruction with pleural empyema and bronchopleural fistula. Endoscopy bronchial valve was used in the treatment of these patients. The mean average duration of pleural drainage insertion before bronchial valve placement was 8±1.46 days (3—12 days).

RESULTS

There were no any difficulties with bronchial valve placement. The valves were placed in the intermediate bronchus in three patients, the lower lobe bronchus on the left in two, in the upper lobe bronchus on the left in one patient. In 1 patient, the air leak was stopped during the first day after the intervention, and in 1 patient on the third day. In 4 cases, the leak persisted for three days, which required an endoscopic examination with additional bronchial valve insertion in the upper lobe bronchus (on the right — 1 and on the left — 2) or their removal (1 patient) with the installation of larger blockers with a positive result. One patient, 2 days after additional blocking of the upper lobe bronchus of the left lung, underwent replacement of blockers with large ones with a good clinical effect. One patient had multiple procedures for installing and replacing blockers. In all cases, it was possible to eliminate air leakage, achieve straightening of the lung tissue and remove drainage from the pleural cavity.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic bronchial valve placement is effective method of air leakage elimination. It allows improving the patient condition and achieving recovery with COVID-19 pneumonia complication. It’s necessary to take the need for additional bronchial valve placement due to the multilobarity of the lesion and fissure integrity in other lung segments and lobes.