Areas of Special Expertise

Bronchopleural fistula

In medicine, a "fistula" describes an abnormal connection between two normally separate anatomic structures. By this definition, a bronchopleural fistula describes a hole from one of the breathing tubes in the lung ("bronchus") and the chest cavity or "pleura." This type of fistula is nearly always a consequence of previous surgery and can be very difficult to fix. It takes experience and a sound operative plan to maximize the chances for success in bronchopleural fistulas (known as "BPF"). Dr. Sommers has operated on dozens of patients with BPF and is familiar with every technique for repair of these challenging problems. Many patients are told by their local surgeons or physicians that "nothing can be done" for these chronic, painful and debilitating problems. This is usually not the case since many local doctors do not have the necessary experience to fix a BPF. "Nothing can be done" is never an acceptable plan for BPF; make an appointment to consult with Dr. Sommers if you would like another option for a loved one with BPF.