Postoperative airway stenosis and stent therapy in carinal reconstruction for lung cancer.

A 48-year-old male had adenocarcinoma of the right upper lung lobe that invaded the lower trachea. The right upper lobe, the carina, and 5 rings of the lower trachea were resected. The carina was reconstructed using end-to-end anastomosis between the trachea and right intermediate bronchus, with the left main bronchus anastomosed to the side wall of the intermediate bronchus. Two months after surgery, the right intermediate bronchus developed bronchomalacia and the tracheal anastomosis granulatory stenosis. Bronchomalacia was treated with 2 expandable metallic stents, and granulatory stenosis with a Dumon stent. Although the silicone stent successfully dilated the granulatory stenosis, the metallic stents caused delayed glanulatory stenosis. We concluded that a metallic stent is not desirable for treating postreconstructive airway stenosis including bronchomalacia, whereas a Dumon stent may be effective.     

Stenting for postoperative airway stenosis due to traumatic tracheobronchial rupture

A 43-year-old man underwent repair for the broken trachea, left main bronchus and right main brouchus due to trauma. Twenty-seven months after the initial surgery, he developed dyspnea and required ventilatory support. Computed tomography showed severe stenosis of the left main bronchus, tracheomalasia and bronchomalasia of right main bronchus. A self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) was placed in the bilateral main bronchus and T-tube in the trachea. SEMS developed granulatory and cicatricial stenosis of the airway, which caused severe dyspnea. Replacement of SEMS with Dumon stents was successfully done and dyspnea was disappeared. A silicon stent should be used for treating postreconstructive airway stenosis including tracheobronchomalasia.     

Granulation stenosis caused by a Dumon stent placed for endobronchial tuberculous stenosis

Two patients with cicatric tracheobronchial stenosis caused by tuberculosis who suffered granulation stenosis after placement of a Dumon stent are reported. Dumon stents, which were long enough to cover the stenotic sites, were placed in the trachea and left main bronchus of each patient. Granulation tissue grew at both edges of the stent 3 or 4 months after stent placement, which caused restenosis and necessitated removal of the stents. The authors conclude that a Dumon stent for treatment of tracheobronchial stenosis caused by tuberculosis can cause granulation stenosis at the edges of the stent.     

Clinical benefits and complications of Dumon stent insertion for the treatment of severe central airway stenosis or airway fistula

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical benefits and complications of Dumon stent insertion for patients with central airway disorders including stenosis and fistula. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of medical records regarding alleviation of symptoms, occurrence of complications, and technical problems. Since August 1998, the Dumon stent has been used in 35 consecutive patients, included 24 with malignant airway stenosis, 5 with benign stenosis, and 6 with airway fistula. Altogether, 7 patients had a straight stent inserted into the trachea, 17 had a Y-stent inserted into the carina, and 11 patients had a straight stent inserted into the bronchus. Results In 33 of the 35 patients, the symptoms dramatically diminished after stent insertion. Poststenting complications included increased coughing in 37% of the patients, an obstruction of the stent due to secretion in 8.6%, migration in 5.7%, granulation in 2.9%, and cerebral infarction in 2.9%. Ten patients had the stent removed for various reasons, and five of the ten underwent reinsertion of a new stent. Migration could be avoided by external fixation with nylon threads in the upper trachea. Three of six patients with an airway fistula showed resolution of the fistula, and the remaining three patients improved symptomatically. Five of these six patients had undergone radiotherapy prior to stent insertion. Conclusion The Dumon stent was found to be effective for treating not only airway stenosis but also airway fistula, with permissible complications. The Dumon stent is therefore considered to be the most effective airway stent presently available worldwide based on both cost and safety factors.     

Bougienage and balloon dilation using a conventional tracheal tube for tracheobronchial stenosis before stent placement

In order to achieve urgent restoration of the airways in tracheobronchial stenosis and to make stent placement simpler and safer, we developed a method that allows combined bougienage and balloon dilation via the use of a conventional tracheal tube. Fifteen patients with tracheobronchial stenosis underwent bougienage and balloon dilation using a tracheal tube with a cuff attached, inserted via a tracheostomy, before stent placement. The conventional tracheal tube was inserted via a tracheostomy, the cuff was expanded at the stenotic site, and the tube was fixed to the tracheostomy and left in place for a few days until sufficient dilation was achieved. This procedure was conducted on the trachea in 10 patients, the left main bronchus in three patients, and the right main bronchus in two patients. In all patients, the procedure immediately relieved the obstructive symptoms and dilated the stenosis sufficiently. Thereafter, Dumon stents were inserted in 10 patients, dynamic stents in four patients, and an expandable metallic stent in one patient. The stents were introduced easily with no other dilation procedure after a mean of 5 days from the start of the procedure. For tracheobronchial stenosis, bougienage and balloon dilation using a tracheal tube with an integral cuff via a tracheostomy is a simple and safe method for achieving both urgent relief of airway stenosis and dilation before stent placement. Received: 20 May 1999/Accepted: 17 December 1999/Online publication: 25 April 2000     

Left lower sleeve lobectomy for tuberculous stenosis of left main bronchus--a case report

A 35-year-old women complained exertional dyspnea during medication therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis. Thoracotomy was done under the diagnosis of stenosis of the left main bronchus and of obstruction of the left lower bronchus due to bronchial tuberculosis. The collapsed inferior lobe of the left lung with fibrotic change was resected. The left main bronchus was completely resected without only one cartilage ring nearest to the carina. The anastomosis of the left main bronchus end was performed to the end of the left lower lobe bronchus. This procedure of anastomosis is considered to be technically difficult for anatomical views, and its reports have been few. From our experience this operation can be performed safely by following modifications, 1) Botallo ligament was detached to obtain a wide operative filed for the end to end anastomosis of bronchus, 2) by taping of the trachea and the right main bronchus and applying traction by the tape, bronchial anastomosis was performed under direct view with great facility, and 3) omentopexy was added to prevent the suture insufficiency of the anastomosis.     

Carinal reconstruction with wide airway resection by a new technique

Carinal reconstruction with wide airway resection by a new technique was conducted in two cases. A 61-year man with tracheal stenosis by tracheal cancer, 6 tracheal rings, 2 left bronchial rings, total right main bronchus, for which carina was resected and reconstructed by a new technique and for a 69 year man with lung cancer in right upper lobe, for which right upper-middle bilobectomy, S6 segmental resection and circumferential pulmonary artery resection were performed. The tracea, left main bronchus, and right basal segment bronchus were anastomosed by new technique and the right main pulmonary artery and basal segment artery was anastomosed subsequent to chemotherapy. Both patients discharged within seventeen postoperative days in consideration of the absence of postoperative complication. Bronchoscopic findings after reconstruction indicated neither stenosis nor dehiscence at the site of anastomosis. The new reconstructive method of carina permits simple anastomosis, the possibility of carina reconstruction even in the case of wide airway resection and loss tension at the site of anastomosis.     

Successful implantation of a metal coronary angioplasty stent for bronchomalacia of the right tracheal bronchus associated with right isomerism complex in an early infant

One-month-old boy had severe emphysema of the right upper lobe due to the stenotic tracheal bronchus compressed between the distorted right patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and the right aortic arch associated with right isomerism complex. He underwent a left modified Blalock-Taussig shunt and a division of the PDA on cardiopulmonary bypass. Extracorporeal lung support (ECLS) was introduced because of severe hypoxemia caused by remaining bronchomalacia of the tracheal bronchus. On postoperative day 3, a metal coronary angioplasty stent was implanted at the stenotic lesion under fluoroscopic and bronchoscopic guidance. He was successfully weaned from ECLS and then respirator after the implantation. This simple stenting procedure might be an effective alternate in the treatment of bronchomalacia or bronchial stenosis in early infancy.     

Successful biodegradable stent insertion in an infant with severe bronchomalacia and cystic fibrosis

We report the first case of biodegradable airway stent insertion for a patient with bronchomalacia and cystic fibrosis (CF). This female infant with antenatally diagnosed cystic fibrosis developed respiratory distress by three weeks of age. On lower airway examination she was found to have severe left main stem bronchomalacia causing left upper lobe hyperinflation and subsequent right upper lobe collapse. By eight weeks of age she developed life-threatening respiratory failure requiring high pressure invasive ventilation. A biodegradable bronchial stent was inserted to the left main bronchus at thirteen weeks of age with successful extubation from invasive respiratory support four days later. A second biodegradable stent was inserted nine weeks later, due to persistent bronchomalacia following stent degradation and redevelopment of oxygen requirement. She was discharged home off all respiratory support eight weeks later and has remained well, requiring no further surgical intervention for bronchomalacia to date, now age three years.     

Treatment of Complex Airway Lesions After Lung Transplantation With Self-Expandable Nitinol Stents: Early Experience

Airway complications (AC) are considered a serious cause of morbidity after lung transplantation (LT). Mechanical dilatation, laser vaporization, and silicone stent placement usually solve it. However, the use of self-expandable metallic stents (SENS) may be indicated in selected cases. Ten lung transplant recipients with AC were treated with SENS. Six patients underwent LT for cystic fibrosis, 2 for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 1 for bronchiectasis, and 1 for emphysema. All patients received at least 1 treatment attempt with dilatation and silicone stent placement. The indications for SENS placement were the presence of a tortuous airway axis with stenosis and malacia of the right main bronchus in 5 patients; a long stenosis of the main and intermediate right bronchus involving the upper lobe orifice in 3 patients; or malacia that could not be stabilized with silicone stents in 3 cases. In 1 patient the procedure was bilateral. Functional improvement was immediate with a mean forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV₁) gain of 35%. No stent dislocation was observed. Symptoms did not occur again in 5 patients with previous recurrent episodes of pneumonia. One stenosis, which was due to the ingrowth of granulation tissue occurred at 6 months after the procedure, was successfully treated with mechanical dilatation and laser vaporization. The deployment of SENS in a selected group of patients with AC after LT was easy, safe, and effective.     

Surgical treatment of congenital distal tracheal stenosis involving the carina

Untreated congenital stenosis of the distal trachea frequently results in lethal airway obstruction. A 3-year-old boy with segmental stenosis of the distal trachea and a 2-year-old girl with segmental stenosis involving the carina and the right main bronchus were treated successfully with resection and reanastomosis. Operative techniques, anesthetic management, postoperative care, and tracheal growth after anastomosis are discussed.     

A case of lung cancer underwent carinal resection with right upper lobectomy and carinal reconstruction with double-barreled anastomosis

A 70-year-old male complaining cough was admitted to our hospital. Bronchoscopic examination revealed a tumor mass which occluded the orifice of the right upper lobe. Chest computed tomographic (CT) scans gave the image of tumor invasion at the carina. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was squamous cell carcinoma. Operation was accomplished by right posterolateral thoracotomy approach through the fifth rib bed. The carinal resection with right upper lobectomy was followed by a double-barreled anastomosis of the right intermediate trunk and left main-stem bronchus into the carina. The operation was successfully performed and was considered curative. The length of resected airway measured 4.0 cm from tracheal line of resection to the divided the right intermediate trunk. Reinforcement of the anastomosis was not performed in this case. No postoperative complication occurred but mild ischemia of the anastomosis. The patient died of recurrent tumor in a year and 2 months after operation.     

Tracheoplasty for Congenital Tracheal Stenosis with Bilateral Tracheal Bronchus

Introduction: Congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) with a bilateral tracheal bronchus (TB) has not been reported as a subtype of CTS. A novel technique to manage CTS in patients with a bilateral TB is described.Case Report: An infant with tetralogy of Fallot underwent repair of cardiac anomaly at age 1 month. He experienced numerous cyanosis and episodes of transient respiratory arrest. Chest computed tomography (CT) demonstrated an aberrant bilateral upper lobe bronchus arising directly from the trachea and a stenotic trachea connecting the pseudo- carina to the true carina between the common right lower and left lower bronchus. On bronchoscopy, the diameter of the lumen of the narrowed segment was estimated to be less than 2 mm. Tracheal reconstruction was undertaken when he was 2 years of age. The surgical technique using a modified slide tracheoplasty for the correction of this anomaly are described. After surgery, the patient was extubated and has had no respiratory symptoms.Discussion and Conclusion: The patient had unique anatomic considerations that made reconstruction challenging. Our technique of covering a stenotic section by normal trachea is a modification of the slide tracheoplasty technique and is useful for CTS with a unilateral and a bilateral TB.     

留植下肺主支气管重建气管的研究

目的 探讨更具临床应用可行的气管重建术。方法 ３２条犬,全麻经左或右第四肋进胸,切除气管下段８￣１５个气管环长度。分别切除上肺（左侧）或中上肺（右侧）、中枢断端缝闭。保留并充分游离下肺及血管,在开口处切断下肺支气管。将主支气管翻转到上纵隔,并将其末梢端与气管上切端吻合,最后再将左或右下肺支气管断端分别与对侧主支气管内侧壁行端侧吻合。结果 死于手术并发症１４条,存活１８条,平均生存期６８．５天（１４     

Uncommon procedure in tracheoplasty; thyrotracheal anastomosis and carinoplasty

Both thyrotracheal anastomosis and carinoplasty are relative rare procedure in routine clinic. We reported each 2 cases of thyrotracheal anastomosis and carinoplasty in 51 cases of tracheobronchoplasty. Thyrotracheal anastomosis with partial cricoidectomy was performed in patients with subglottic stenosis for postintubation stenosis and thyroid cancer using suprahyoid release. Each case need re-intubation after surgery. Montage carinoplasty was performed in 2 patients with advanced lung cancer. Right upper lobe was end-to-side anastomosed to trachea in 1 case, and right basal segment was to left main bronchus in another. It was important both diameter in bronchus and mobilization of the residual lung for this procedure.     

Management of bilateral congenital bronchial stenosis in an infant

Congenital bronchial stenosis is a very uncommon condition in children. A full-term neonate showed severe respiratory distress soon after birth. Bronchoscopy and spiral computed tomography with multiplanar reconstruction disclosed a short stenosis of the left main bronchus, next to the carina, and another stenosis in the intermediate bronchus with air trapping in the right middle and lower lobes. The child underwent resection and reconstruction of the left main bronchus, and right middle and lower lobectomies after a failed attempt of bronchoscopic dilatation of the intermediate bronchus. A temporary silicon tracheal stent was necessary to achieve permanent extubation. The patient was discharged in good condition without any oxygen dependency and remains asymptomatic 1 year after surgery. Management of children with airway stenosis is complex, and surgeons involved in it should be familiar with multiple surgical and endoscopic techniques. A team approach in a referral center is the best option to achieve an optimal result.     

Pulmonary artery sling with tracheal stenosis —Primary repair in infancy—

Between 1984 and 1996 five infants underwent surgical repair of pulmonary artery sling associated with severe congenital tracheal stenosis. All infants had symptoms of severe respiratory distress and three of them required ventilator support preoperatively. ages ranged from 2 to 11 months (mean age 6 months). Complete tracheal rings were present in all patients as an associated lesion and right upper lobe tracheal bronchus in 3 patients. The length of tracheal stenosis ranged from 18 to 45 mm (median 40 mm). Three had associated intracardiac anomalies (Scimitar sydrome (1), VSD (1), double-outlet right ventricle with VSD (1), double-outlet right ventricle with pulmonary hypertension (1)). Surgical intervention was carried out through a right thoraco tomy (1) or median sternotomy (4). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used in 3 patients and extracorporeal membrane oxgenator (ECMO). in 1. All infants had reimplantation of the left pulmonary artery into the main pulmonary artery left anterior to the trachea. Four patients underwent simultaneous tracheoplasty using costal cartilage grafts and one had complete resection of obstructed trachea between the right upper lobe tracheal bronchus and carina. The length of resected trachea was about 30% of the entire length of the trachea. Three infants underwent simultaneous intracardiac repair. There was no hospital death. All were weaned from ventilatory support and extubated on 1 to 16 months (mean 4, 5 months) postoperatively. AS an additional procedure, aortopexy, removal of granulation tissue or balloon dilatation of the trachea were carried out in one patient each following tracheoplasty using cartilage grafts. There was one late death at 1 year postoperatively. Three of 4 survivors are doing well with no stridor. We adono stridor. We adovocate 1) early aggressive primary repair of pulmonary artrey sling with tracheal stenosis, 2) concomitant repair of tracheal lesion and intracardiac anomalies whenever possible, 3) application of CPB or ECMO to avoid cumbersome intubation technique, and 4) utmost effort to perform tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis.     

Bilateral lung transplantation using a donor with a tracheal right upper lobe bronchus

We report on a case of successful bilateral sequential lung transplantation using a donor with the right upper lobe bronchus arising from the trachea. After en-bloc donor lung retrieval, the right bronchial stump was fashioned to create one lumen including the bronchus intermedius and the aberrant right upper lobe bronchus. A carinoplasty was performed in the recipient with resection of a portion of the lateral wall of trachea. The anastomosis was completed using a telescoping technique without any complication. This case demonstrates the possibility of successfully using donor lungs with such anatomic abnormality for transplantation.     

Selection of the bronchial tube for one-lung anesthesia by multidetector-row computed tomography (MD CT) evaluation

One-lung anesthesia is a method of anesthesia performed by inserting the tip of a bronchial tube into either the right main bronchus or the left main bronchus. The right bronchial tube is a special structure. Since the distance of the carina to the right upper lobe bronchus is short, a side hole is made to prevent blockading of the right upper lobe bronchus, and the cuff is attached aslant to it. When inserting a bronchial tube into the right main bronchus, care is required to prevent the occurrence of atelectasis though a gap in the bronchial tube. We evaluated the structure of a trachea and a bronchus using the multidetector-row computed tomography (MD CT), and tried to select the right bronchial tube most suitable for each structure. There are individual differences in the structure of a trachea and a bronchus. By creating a 3-dimensional image of a trachea and a bronchus, the structure could be easily grasped, and therefore selection of the most appropriate bronchial tube according to the structure was possible.     

Clinical experience using percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system for stent replacement

Three cases of tracheal or mein bronchus stenoses were treated using percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system (PCPS). Case 1 was a 63-year-old male admitted for dyspnea due to stenotic trachea with primary lung cancer invasion. YAG-laser operation and Dynamic stent was inserted to the trachea using PCPS. Case 2 was a 74-year-old male admitted for dyspnea due to stenotic right mein bronchus with primary lung cancer invasion. Dumon Y stent was inserted to the right mein bronchus using PCPS. Case 3 was 57-year-old male admitted for dyspnea due to stenotic trachea and occluded left mein bronchus with ischemic change after primary esophageal cancer operation. Dynamic stent was inserted to the trachea and left mein bronchus using PCPS. Tracheal and mein bronchus stenoses the trachea of all was dilated after placement of stent. These three cases had no complications during or after these treatment. These results indicated that using PCPS was a very useful, powerful and satisfactory method in the treatment of tracheal or mein bronchus stenoses during the lack of lung ventilation.