Experience using a free pericardial fat pad to repair an intrathoracic injury during esophageal cancer surgery.

In surgery for thoracic esophageal cancer, repair of surgically damaged organs, such as the trachea or lungs, or a reconstructed gastric conduit may be necessary. The omentum, intercostal myocutaneous flaps, and latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps are often used as covering materials. Although these structures are effective dressings with suitable blood flow, the omentum is often unavailable following esophageal surgery, and creating a muscle flap is invasive and laborious. Using a free pericardial fat pad as a sealant is a safe and effective option to prevent postoperative alveolar air leaks following pulmonary resection. In this study, we report the effectiveness of intrathoracic free pericardial fat pad as a covering and reinforcement material for managing intrathoracic injury during esophageal cancer surgery in patients treated at our institution.