Utilization of muscle flaps in the treatment of bronchopleural fistulas

This paper reports the results of a series of 5 patients who underwent clos ure of persistent bronchopleural fistula using extrathoracic muscle flaps o ver a 6-year period. All patients had failed more conservative treatment. T he surgeries were one- or two-stage procedures performed with the collabora tion of cardiovascular and reconstructive surgical staffs. There were no as sociated mortalities. The muscle flaps utilized were the latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and trapezius. The r esults have been encouraging and allowed the complete closure of the bronch opleural fistula in the majority of patients. The authors present the best management of this serious disease, as well as its pathophysiology and clin ical aspects.