Treatment of postpneumonectomy syndrome with tissue expanders: The Great Ormond Street Hospital experience

Abstract

Postpneumonectomy syndrome (PPS) is a rare syndrome whereby the airway and oesophagus become obstructed due to extreme rotation of the mediastinum after pneumonectomy. Our treatment of this condition involved mediastinal repositioning and placement of a saline filled tissue expander into the pleural space. This has not been reported in the plastic surgical literature and we describe technical difficulties and how they were overcome.