Reimplantation of the left lung 17 years after a bronchial rupture.

We describe a 37-year-old female patient who had a major vehicle accident 17 years ago. A chest tube had been inserted through the left side of the chest to treat pneumothorax. She was readmitted to the hospital with dyspnea 17 years later. Her examinations, including fiberoptic bronchoscopy, revealed total atelectasis of the left lung with a blind-ending left main bronchus. Anastomosis of the left distal main bronchus to left main bronchus was performed. She had no complications and was discharged on postoperative day 8. Follow-up demonstrated a perfectly functioning left lung with nuclear and tomographic investigations performed on the first postoperative year.