Left-sided lung abscess, complicated with bronchoperitoneal fistula: case report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2478/AMB-2026-0015Keywords:
bronchial fistula, bronchoperitoneal fistula, lung abscess, necrotizing pneumonia, pleural empyemaAbstract
Abstract. Bronchogenic lung abscess complicated by the development of a bronchoperitoneal fistula is an extremely rare and potentially life-threatening condition. It may be associated with severe sepsis, air leakage, and often requires urgent surgical treatment supported by an interdisciplinary team and intensive care management. We present a case of an 18-year-old male patient who was transferred to our institution with a left lower lobe lung abscess, developed secondary to massive bilateral pneumonia, and complicated by bronchoperitoneal fistula formation, diffuse fibrinopurulent peritonitis, and pneumoperitoneum. Complex surgical treatment was performed, followed by intensive postoperative care. The patient was successfully discharged on the 23rd postoperative day.
References
Bobbio A, Bouam S, Frenkiel J, et al. Epidemiology and prognostic factors of pleural empyema. Thorax. 2021;76:1117-1123.
Maitre T, Ok V, Calin R, et al. Pyogenic lung abscess in an infectious disease unit: a 20-year retrospective study. Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. 2021;15:17534666211003012.
Yousef L, Yousef A, Al-Shamrani A. Lung Abscess Case Series and Review of the Literature. Children. 2022;9:1047.
Zhang R, Yu J, Shang X, et al. Heterogeneity in clinical patterns of adult lung abscess patients: an 8-year retrospective study in a tertiary hospital. BMC Pulm Med. 2025;25:101.
Yankov G, Alexieva M, Makshutova Z, et al. A Rare Case of Giant Gangrenous Lung Abscess. Cureus. 2025;17:79090.
Hraiech S, Ladjal K, Guervilly C, et al. Lung abscess following ventilator- associated pneumonia during COVID- 19: a retrospective multicenter cohort study. Crit Care. 2023;27:385.
Leivaditis V, Braun-Lambur H, Windmüller V, et al. Bronchopleural fistula management with an amplatzer duct occluder: a comprehensive case report and literature review. Cureus. 2023;15:49431-10.
Inazaki T, Kasai H, Yato Y, et al. Tumor Rupture-induced Pleural Empyema with a Bronchopleural Fistula Treated with Bronchial Occlusion Using an Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot: A Case Report. Respiratory Endoscopy. 2025;3:31-36.
Lu C, Feng Z, Ge D, et al. Pedicle muscle flap transposition for chronic empyema with persistent bronchopleural fistula: experience of a single clinical center in China. Surg Today. 2016;46:1132-1137.
Ulusan A, Benli MY, Ekici MA, et al. Omentum Transposition as a Solution for Bronchopleural Fistula and Empyema. Indian J Surg. 2020;82:74-80.
Bele SN, Manu M, Gosavi RA, et al. Bronchopericardial Fistula: A Rare Complication of Necrotizing Pneumonia. Cureus. 2024;16:64339.
Ali S, Hart E, Eperjesiova B, et al. Broncho-pericardial fistula in necrotizing pneumonia. Chest. 2019;156:1344-1345.
Bharti P, Agarwal V, Kuruvilla J, et al. An unusual case of bronchopericardial fistula secondary to necrotizing pneumonia. Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. 2022;53:159.
Liao GQ, Wang H, Zhu GY, еt al. Management of acquired bronchobiliary fistula: A systematic literature review of 68 cases published in 30 years. World J Gastroenterol. 2011;17:3842-9.
Rahman S, VanDruff T, Wang YC, et al. 645: A Case of Bronchoperitoneal Fistulization Leading to Pneumoperitoneum in an Intubated Patient. Critical Care Medicine. 2021;49:317.
Eryigit H, Oztas S, Urek S, et al. Management of acquired bronchobiliary fistula: 3 case reports and a literature review. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2007;2:52.
Pesce C, Galvagno SM, Efron DT, et al. Retained drains causing a bronchoperitoneal fistula: a case report. J Med Case Reports. 2011, 5:185. 10.1186/1752-1947-5-185.
Hsu PS, Lee SC, Tzao C, et al. Bronchoperitoneal fistula from a lung abscess. Respirology. 2008;13:1091-1092.
Zoumot Z, Shafiq I, Uzbeck MH, et al. Life-threatening bronchoperitoneal fistula treated with endobronchial valve placement. Journal of Bronchology & Interventional Pulmonology. 2024;31:0966.
Amalraj B, Amalraj J, Bennett M, et al. Management of a Bronchoperitoneal Fistula Using an Endobronchial Valve: A Case Report. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2025;211:6229-6229.
Fitzpatrick M, Yankelevich GR, Drerup J, et al. First Reported Case of Bronchoperitoneal Fistula From Bladder Cancer Metastasis Treated With the Novel Utilisation of an Endobronchial Valve. Cureus. 2024;16:71025.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 I. Lytvynenko, S. Sopotensky (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
You are free to share, copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format under these terms.
Journal Acta Medica Bulgarica