PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Claire Hathorn
AU  - Nicole Armitage
AU  - David Wensley
AU  - Michael Seear
TI  - Bronchial balloon occlusion in children with complex pulmonary air leaks
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302529
DP  - 2013 Feb 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 136--140
VI  - 98
IP  - 2
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/2/136.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/2/136.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2013 Feb 01; 98
AB  - Pulmonary air leaks in children are most commonly due to infection or barotrauma. While cases of severe barotrauma are falling because of advances in neonatal care, the incidence of necrotising pneumonia is rising. The majority of air leaks can be managed conservatively, but more severe cases pose a significant challenge to the clinician. The use of occlusive endobronchial balloons is an established anaesthetic technique for a number of indications, but is not widely used in children. We conducted a review over a 12-year period, and report six cases of complex air leaks in which balloon occlusion was used. Balloon occlusion was successful in both cases of bronchopleural fistulae (secondary to severe necrotising pneumonia) and half of the cases of intrapulmonary air leak (due to barotrauma). In the other two cases (due to barotrauma and filamin A deficiency), it was transiently effective. No serious adverse effects or complications were encountered. In selected cases, endobronchial balloons are a useful adjunct in the management of life-threatening bronchopleural fistulae and cystic lung disease. The procedure is non-operative, minimally invasive and reversible. With the increasing incidence of bronchopleural fistulae, this may become an increasingly important therapy.