Bronchopulmonary foregut malformations include intralobar and extralobar pu
lmonary sequestrations, bronchogenic cysts, and communicating bronchopulmon
ary foregut malformations (CBPFM). These malformations, formes frustes, ori
ginate as developmental abnormalities of ventral foregut budding of the tra
cheobronchial tree or the gastrointestinal tract. The communication's paten
cy with the parent viscus determines if a contained malformation occurs, or
if an abnormal communication persists as a CBPFM. This case demonstrates a
unique example of a CBPFM in which the main pancreatic duct communicated w
ith pulmonary parenchyma through a retroperitoneal fistula. (C) 1999 by The
Society of Thoracic Surgeons.