Management of postpneumonectomy empyema using free flap and pedicled flap.
Treatment of empyema after pneumonectomy is challenging. We treated 4 patients with postpneumonectomy empyema using a free rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap together with a pedicled pectoralis major muscle flap. The pectoralis major flap was used to fill the apical portion of the cavity, while the rectus abdominis flap was used to fill the caudal portion and occlude any bronchial fistula present. All empyemas were treated successfully without recurrence. This method has the advantage of filling apical and caudal parts of the space at once, making effective use of the combined volume of the two flaps.
Takanari
Keisuke
K
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. takanari@na.rim.or.jp
Kamei
Yuzuru
Y
Toriyama
Kazuhiro
K
Yagi
Shunjiro
S
Torii
Shuhei
S
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000637:transplantation*; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013905:Thoracoplasty / Q000379:methods*