Role of Intraoperative Bronchoscopy in Diagnosing Bronchus Related Complications Following VATS

We report the case of a 60-year-old female with adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe who underwent a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) upper lobectomy and subsequently presented with complete right lung collapse in the immediate postoperative period. Urgent bronchoscopy revealed complete stapling of the right mainstem bronchus. Hence, emergency re-exploration and bronchoplasty of the right mainstem bronchus and the right lower-lobe bronchus were done. While bronchoscopy following VATS lobectomy for lung cancer poses technical challenges and represents an independent risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications, it remains a valuable tool for the early detection of complications such as lung collapse, which may result from thick mucus, a foreign body, iatrogenic injury, or the tumour itself.