Video-assisted Abruzzini technique for bronchopleural fistula repair. A pathology study.

Trans-sternal closure of the bronchial stump is an effective procedure to treat bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy. The paper reports a modified video-assisted Abruzzini technique that, maintaining the same results, should determine a lower surgical risk. Three simultaneous approaches are used: cervical video-mediastinoscopy, right anterior parasternal mediastinotomy, left parasternal thoracoscopic access. The dissection of the bronchial stump is performed entirely through the mediastinotomy approach after having controlled mediastinal vessels. The bronchial stump reamputation is achieved by a roticulator endoGIA introduced through the cervicotomy either for the right or left fistulae. The technique proposed might reach the same result as the classic approach with lower surgical risks.