The Eloesser flap: past and present.

Leo Eloesser designed a flap to drain acute tuberculous empyema in the 1930s. The original concept and design are no longer efficacious because of the introduction of antibiotics and antituberculous drugs. The flap has been modified in both concept and design over the years and is used today for drainage of chronic empyemas, with or without bronchopleural fistulas. The history of the flap will be discussed.