title: The use of pedicled pleural flaps for the repair of pericardial defects, resulting after intrapericardial pneumonectomy.
abstract: We report our technique for the repair of large pericardial defects resulting after intrapericardial pneumonectomy for locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma, using pedicled pleural flaps. Creation of a pedicled pleural flap, large enough to cover the pericardial defect, performing blunt dissection of parietal pleura from the inferior edge of the thoracotomy incision and suturing it in the defect margins, is an easy, safe and effective technique for the prevention of cardiac herniation. Pedicled pleural flaps are an excellent material, not very popular nowadays, for the repair of pericardial defects resulting after intrapericardial pneumonectomy, when it is possible to create a pleural flap.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chest Diseases Hospital Sotiria, Messogion Avenue, 11527 Athens, Greece. foroulis@internet.gr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foroulis
authors.forename: Chr
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kotoulas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konstantinou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lioulias
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures