ArticleEuropean journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery2026
Post-Transbronchial Microwave Ablation Bronchopleural Fistula-A Case Series and Unique Insight.
Article in European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThis case series aims to evaluate the incidence, mechanisms, and management of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) following transbronchial microwave ablation (TMWA) for lung tumours and to explore innovative strategies for prevention and treatment.
methodsA retrospective review was conducted on 173 patients who underwent 209 sessions of TMWA from March 2019 to May 2025 at a single centre. Four cases of BPF confirmed by imaging and clinical presentation were analysed. Data collected included procedural details, mechanisms of BPF formation, management strategies, and patient outcomes. Techniques such as intraoperative fibrin glue injection and endobronchial valve placement were documented.
resultsBPF occurred in 4 patients (1.9%) and was associated with mechanisms including extensive ablation zone with cavitation, tissue contraction, and inadvertent pleural puncture. Treatments varied from conservative drainage and antibiotics to targeted endobronchial interventions, with all BPF successfully resolved. The use of innovative techniques, such as intraoperative fibrin glue injection, demonstrated promising results with minimal invasiveness. Patients with BPF experienced longer hospital stays compared to those without complications.
conclusionsAlthough rare, BPF is a significant complication after TMWA, often requiring individualized management. Early recognition through vigilant monitoring and advanced imaging facilitates prompt intervention. Further prospective studies are needed to refine prevention and management strategies for this serious complication.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.