Pediculated Intercostal Muscle Flaps in Bronchiactasis Resectional Surgery for Bronchial Stump Reinforcement

To determine the outcome of muscle flap to cover the bronchial stump in the resectional surgery for bronchiectasis for prevention of bronchopleural fistula.

Case series.

Combined Military Hospitals of Quetta, Lahore, and Rawalpindi from January 2006 to August 2017.

Patients with localised bronchiectatic changes were included. Patients with carcinoma and without flap resection were excluded. Resectional surgery was performed through posterolateral thoracotomy approach, under general anesthesia with one lung ventilation. Pediculated or bipediculated intercostal muscle flap (ICM) was used to reinforce the bronchial stump. Pediculated ICM flaps were utilised for reinforcement of bronchial stump and bipediculated flaps were used over lesser.

Three hundred and ninety-eight cases of bronchiectasis with average age of patients 38.5 ±19.8 years and male to female ratio of 2:1 were included. Bronchiectasis was unilateral in 377 cases. Tuberculous was found in 278 of the cases. Thirty-five had poor lung function tests (FEV1 <1.5%). Eighty-two patients underwent pneumonectomy, 228 patients had lobectomy and 88 patients underwent segmentectomy. Posterior-based pediculated ICM flap was used in 365 patients, and bipediculated ICM flaps in 30 cases. The most common complication was post-thoracotomy neuralgia 53. Bronchopleural fistula, despite transposition of intercostal muscle flap on bronchial stump, was present in 4 patients.

Application of muscle flap over bronchial stump after resection surgery for bronchiectasis, is simple, safe and effective surgical option to avoid complication of bronchopleural fistula.