[A case report of a left bronchial stump fistula from which the wrapped omentum was removed, because of rupture of the anastomotic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta--functions of the wrapped omentum in the early phase and extended phase after surgery].

The omental wrapping is a method of the choice for empyema with bronchopleural fistula. A 71-year-old woman, who had undergone graft replacement for the aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta, underwent left pneumonectomy for lung abscess. Two months after surgery, the bronchopleural fistula in the stump was presented and successfully repaired by omentopexy. When anastomotic aneurysm rupture of the graft was presented one year later, the management was successful because mortal bleeding was prevented by the omental pedicle flap in the left thoracic cavity. Though we removed the omental flap with hematoma, the fistula didn't recurred. The omentum facilitates the healing of bronchopleural fistula in the early phase after surgery, but the healing course in the extended phase had not have any trouble without omental vascularization.