Successful treatment by fibrin glue sealant for pneumothorax with chronic GVHD resistant to autologous blood patch pleurodesis

Intern Med. 2012;51(15):2011-4. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.51.7355. Epub 2012 Aug 1.

Abstract

Pneumothorax associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after stem cell transplantation is a rare complication. Autologous blood has been used successfully for pleurodesis, which was less toxic than chemical agents. However, when pneumothorax is resistant to pleurodesis, no other procedure is more effective and conservative. Here, we describe a case of myelodysplastic syndromes complicated with cGVHD-related pneumothorax. His pneumothorax has been resistant to pleurodesis using autologous blood and was treated successfully with fibrin glue sealant. In our limited experience, we believe the best success could be achieved when this method is used to treat persistent pneumothorax with cGVHD.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts / therapy
  • Blood
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / therapeutic use*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / complications
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pleurodesis
  • Pneumothorax / etiology
  • Pneumothorax / therapy*
  • Tissue Adhesives / therapeutic use*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Fibrin Tissue Adhesive
  • Tissue Adhesives