Bronchial myoplasty with the use of latissimus dorsi muscle--a case study

Dehiscence of the bronchial stump as well as the tracheo-bronchial-pleural fistula is a rare but life-threatening complication of pulmonary resections. Absence of the immediately accessible well vascularized soft tissues makes successful direct resuture of the bronchial stump or local closure of the defect problematic, particularly in the infected terrain. The authors describe a case study of successful closure of the tracheo-bronchial defect with the use of pediculated latissimus dorsi muscle in a cachectic 63-year-old patient after a right-side pneumonectomy.