05 OA_12.02166 Seok.indd

Bronchopleural fi stula (BPF) remains a rare, but feared complication following pneumonectomy and occurs with an incidence of 3% to 12%.1–8) It can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as aspiration of infectious fl uid from the pleural cavity, pneumonia of the remaining lung, and postpneumonectomy empyema. Many publications have explored different surgical techniques to reduce the incidence of BPF. The need for bronchial stump coverage with viable tissue has been especially emphasized.3,6,9–12) Many thoracic surgeons use fi brin glue-coated collagen fl eece (TachoComb®; NYCOMED Austria GmbH, Linz, Austria) to prevent air-leakage or to reinforce the staple line in spontaneous pneumothorax patients. TachoComb’s mechanisms of action are accelerating the adhesion and the migration of fi broblasts.13,14) We hypothesize fi brosis and adhesion formation should prevent communication of the bronchial system with the pleural cavity, if BPF has occurred. The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze the effi cacy of coverage of the bronchial stump following pneumonectomy with the nonviable material, TachoComb. Bronchial Stump Coverage with Fibrin Glue-Coated Collagen Fleece in Lung Cancer Patients Who Underwent Pneumonectomy