Thoracoscopic pericardial patch repair of iatrogenic major bronchial injury during oesophagectomy

Tracheobronchial injuries are rare but dreaded and potentially lethal complications of oesophagectomy. The reported literature on tracheobronchial injuries in thoraco-laparoscopic oesophagectomy is sparse. They may be detected either intraoperatively or in the post-operative period. Those tracheobronchial injuries detected intraoperatively usually need conversion to an open procedure for appropriate management. The surgical approaches and the methods employed for closure depend on the size and location of the rent. The methods of surgical repair include primary closure, gastric patch closure, pericardial patch, pleural patch, pedicled intercostal muscle flap, dural graft and synthetic polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Herein, we report a thoracoscopic repair of a major bronchial injury encountered in a patient during thoracoscopic oesophagectomy using a pericardial patch. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a thoracoscopic repair of a bronchial injury using a pericardial patch.