Clinical manifestation of mediastinal fibrosis and histoplasmosis.

We treated 20 patients thought to have mediastinal fibrosis secondary to Histoplasma capsulatum. All but 1 were symptomatic. The most common symptoms were dyspnea (8), hemoptysis (6), postobstructive pneumonia (5), and superior vena caval obstruction (2). Nine patients had severe stenosis of the trachea, carina, or main bronchus. Special stains identified Histoplasma capsulatum in surgical specimens in 9 patients. Surgical procedures were done for 18 of 20 patients (resection of subcarinal mass, 6; right middle and lower lobectomy, 5; carinal pneumonectomy, 4; esophagoplasty, 4; sleeve resection, 3 (with right main bronchus in 1, right lower and middle lobectomy in 1, and carina in 1); right upper lobectomy, 1; middle lobectomy, 1; and bronchoplasty of left main bronchus, 1. There were 4 deaths, 3 after complications of carinal pneumonectomy and 1 in a patient with tracheobronchial obstruction that could not be dilated. Two patients were treated with amphotericin and 4 with ketoconazole. Sclerosing mediastinitis secondary to histoplasmosis presents tremendous surgical challenges because of the intense fibrosis encountered. Bronchoplastic procedures are possible in spite of the intense fibrosis. High mortality rates after carinal resection may be encountered. The exact role of antifungal therapy is as yet undefined.     

Carinal resection of bronchogenic carcinoma

Carinal resection was performed in 10 cases of bronchogenic carcinoma during 12 year-period. The mean age of patients was 58 years, with a range of 42 to 68 years. There were 7 male and 3 female. The tumor was located on the right side in 7 cases, on the left side in 1 case on the carina in 2 cases. The histological examination showed squamous cell carcinoma in 5 cases, adenocarcinoma in 4 cases and adenoid cystic carcinoma in 1 case. The staging revealed T3N2 M0 Stage IIIA in 2 cases, T4N0M0 Stage IIIB in 1 case, T4N1M0 Stage IIIB in 1 case, T4N2M0 Stage IIIB in 5 cases and T4N3M0 Stage IIIB in 1 case. The surgical methods were as follows; sleeve pneumonectomy in 5 cases, wedge carinal resection with pulmonary resection in 3 cases (right sleeve upper lobectomy in 2 cases and right pneumonectomy in 1 case), carinal resection in 2 cases. The site of bronchial anastomosis was overlapped by thymus in 6 cases. The 30-day mortality rate in tracheo-carinal resection was 10% (one patient). Eight patients died and remaining 2 patients are still alive without any evidence of recurrence. 5-year survival rate was 36%. These outcomes were almost equal to those of surgical case in the same stage.     

Surgical treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the left main bronchus and trachea by left pneumonectomy, resection of 7.5 cm of trachea, and direct reanastomosis of right lung.

A 23-year-old woman, who had suffered recurrent acute bronchitis, dyspnoea, and stridor, was found to have a tracheal stenosis and complete left main bronchus obstruction. Biopsy of the tumour showed an adenoid cystic carcinoma. After pneumonectomy the trachea was closed through tumour tissue. Two weeks later a right thoracotomy showed that a tumour had invaded the trachea from the carina up to 6 cm and the right stem bronchus for 1 cm. Under extracorporeal circulation 7.5 cm of the trachea and right bronchus were resected. A direct tracheal anastomosis was easy to perform. Spontaneous respiration with efficient coughing returned after five days. Unfortunately, one month later, high fever caused by a lung abscess developed, which provoked a massive haemoptysis with fatal outcome.     

Limited and radical resection for tracheal and bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumour. Report on 227 cases

Bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumours occur at all levels from the trachea to the lung periphery. Over a 20-year period. 227 patients with carcinoid tumour underwent thoracotomy. The age at operation ranged from 14 to 79 years. Haemoptysis, chronic cough, recurrent infection and wheeze were the most common symptoms; 24% of patients were asymptomatic. The primary tumour was within the trachea or the main, lobar or segmental bronchi in 190 patients (83.7%). A variety of surgical procedures were employed: pneumonectomy in 32 patients; lobectomy and bilobectomy including bronchial sleeve resection in 144; segmentectomy in 18; wedge excision in 19; bronchial sleeve only in 5; carinal resection in 2; tracheal resection in 4 and bronchotomy in 3 cases. There was only 1 hospital death in the 227 patients (mortality: 0.44%). Survival at 5 and 10 years in patients with benign carcinoid was 97.5% and 95%, respectively. In patients with the atypical form it was 41.2%. The peripheral carcinoid was usually totally removed by an ample wedge excision or segmental resection and the central bronchial carcinoid by sleeve resection with lobectomy rather than pneumonectomy. The atypical variant, because of the frequency of lymphatic involvement, should be treated as a bronchial carcinoma by radical resection.     

Clinicopathological study of surgically treated cases of tracheobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma

Between 1980 and 2007, five patients were pathologically diagnosed as tracheobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). All five patients were women aged 37–67 years. Four tumors were located in the larger airways, and one tumor was located in the peripheral lung. The following operations were done: bronchoplastic procedures in three (carinal resection with doublebarreled carinoplasty in one, sleeve right pneumonectomy in one, sleeve middle lobectomy in one), left pneumonectomy in one, and left upper lobectomy in one. Three of the five patients have survived for 172, 144, and 10 months after surgery, respectively. The best local treatment for ACC of the major airway is considered to be sleeve resection of the trachea or bronchus in an area where airway reconstruction may not be disturbed and to add postoperative irradiation when there is residual carcinoma at the stump. However, it seems controversial to recommend adjuvant radiotherapy in all patients undergoing resection.     

Favorable results after sleeve lobectomy or bronchoplasty for bronchial malignancies

Background. Sleeve lobectomy and bronchoplasty are established alternatives to pneumonectomy for bronchial malignancies involving a main bronchus. However, potential bronchial anastomotic complications have deterred the general application of these types of resection. Some reports have contained a mixture of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and tumors of low-grade malignancy, making it difficult to assess the long-term results of these procedures as an alternative to pneumonectomy for lung cancer.

Methods. We retrospectively reviewed our experience with sleeve lobectomy and bronchoplasty for bronchial malignancies from January 1988 to September 1998 separating NSCLC (n = 58) from tumors of low-grade malignancy (n = 19). We compared the overall results between sleeve lobectomy and pneumonectomy (n = 142) performed for NSCLC over the same time interval.

Results. For NSCLC, after sleeve lobectomy, the operative mortality was 5.2% (3 of 58 patients) and the overall 5-year actuarial survival was 37.5%. After pneumonectomy, the operative mortality was 4.9% (7 of 142 patients) and the overall 5-year actuarial survival was 35.8%. For tumors with low-grade malignancy, there was no operative mortality after sleeve lobectomy or bronchoplasty and the 5-year actuarial survival was 100%. Major bronchial anastomotic complications occurred in 3 patients among the 77 patients who underwent sleeve resection.

Conclusions. Sleeve resection can be performed with a low risk of bronchial anastomotic complication. The long-term survival after sleeve resection for NSCLC is similar to pneumonectomy. Excellent results are obtained after sleeve resection for low-grade malignancies.     

Completion pneumonectomy after bronchial sleeve resection: incidence, indications, and results.

During the years 1960 through 1989, 145 patients underwent sleeve lobectomy or sleeve resection of a main bronchus. Completion pneumonectomy was performed in 19 patients (13.1%). Indications were bronchostenosis without malignancy in 10 patients, positive resection margins in 3, recurrent tumor in 5, and anastomotic dehiscence in 1. Mean age at sleeve operation was 59.3 years. In 18 patients the histology was squamous cell carcinoma and in 1 patient, carcinoid tumor. The mean interval between sleeve resection and completion pneumonectomy was 5.7 months (range, 3 to 16 months) for the patients with stenosis and 6.6 months (range, 1 to 17 months) for the others. There were 3 operative deaths (15.8%). The mean follow-up was 53.2 months. Five-year and 10-year survival rates after completion pneumonectomy for the patients with stenosis were 54% and 41%, respectively, and for the others, 52% and 52%.     

Tracheobronchial sleeve resection with the use of a continuous anastomosis: results of one hundred consecutive cases.

OBJECTIVE: We have used a continuous suture technique for all tracheal and bronchial anastomoses with satisfactory results in our institution. The objective of this article is to review our experience with sleeve resections using this technique and report the associated morbidity and mortality in 100 consecutive cases. METHODS: Our experience with sleeve resection using a continuous suture (3-0 polypropylene) technique was reviewed in 100 consecutive cases. The median age of the patients was 53.3 years with a range of 21 to 81 years. There were 54 male patients and 46 female patients. Resection was undertaken for malignant disease in 81 patients, acquired stricture in 14 patients, benign tumor in 4 patients, and trauma in 1 patient. Among 28 patients in whom lung parenchyma was not resected, 16 patients had tracheal resection and 12 had bronchial sleeve resection. Sleeve pneumonectomy was undertaken in 2, sleeve lobectomy in 66, and sleeve segmentectomy in 4. RESULTS: There were 12 postoperative complications (12%) and 2 postoperative deaths resulting from bronchoatrial fistula and pneumonia (2%). Stricture as a late complication occurred in 5 patients, 2 of whom required a bronchial stent. Other late complications were bougienage, reanastomosis, and completion pneumonectomy (1 each). CONCLUSION: Our experience suggests that the results of continuous suture technique are comparable with those from reported series using interrupted suture technique for tracheal and bronchial anastomosis.     

Nohl-Oser type tracheobronchoplastic procedure in the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the right upper lobe

Two male patients were admitted with right upper lobe tumor. In both cases, standard upper lobectomy or sleeve lobectomy was not applicable because of the invasion of lateral wall of the lower trachea. The standard surgical option was tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy. Avoidance of pneumonectomy could be achieved by Nohl-Oser tracheobronchoplasty. Both patients had smooth postoperative course. We present these cases because of rarity and to emphasize the alternative techniques. The surgeon should be aware of the possibility of an alternative technique.     

气管隆突切除及重建术治疗中心型支气管肺癌

本文报告１０例侵及气管隆突或距隆突０．３ｃｍ以内的中心型支气管肺癌行气管隆突切除及重建术，其中右上叶及隆突切除重建术３例，右全肺及隆突切除２例，左全肺及隆突切除４例，左上叶及隆突切除重建术１例，加部分左心房切除术３例。本组根治切除９例。姑息切除１例。术后并发症３例（３０％）。术后无癌生存６年１例，３年１例，２年１０月１例，２年６月３例，１年２例，半年１例；另１例于术后８月死于脑转移。重点讨论了手术适应证、手术方法、围手术期监护和处理。     

Prognostic evaluation of tracheobronchial reconstruction for bronchogenic carcinoma

Fifty-two patients have undergone tracheobronchial reconstruction for bronchogenic carcinomas over a 20 year period and have been evaluated from the view point of prognosis. Five-year survival rates of the patients undergoing reconstructive operations were as follows: 35% for the total group, 50% for those with squamous cell carcinoma, and 64% for those with Stage I and II disease. No patients with adenocarcinoma or Stage III disease have survived more than 5 years. However, the number of patients with early adenocarcinoma was too small for us to conclude that the histologic type per se affected survival. Six of eight patients with sleeve lobectomy and pulmonary artery reconstruction died within 2 years, 7 months postoperatively. Five of seven patients died within 1 year after carinal reconstruction. However, two are alive at 4 months and 2 years, 9 months after left or right sleeve pneumonectomy. In summary, any types of lobectomy or pneumonectomy with reconstruction of the tracheobronchial tree can be conducted in patients with Stage I and II lung cancer. Sleeve lobectomy with pulmonary artery reconstruction can be an alternative to pneumonectomy when pneumonectomy is contraindicated because of low cardiopulmonary reserve. In patients undergoing reconstruction of the carina, prophylactic radiation therapy may be necessary during the postoperative course.     

Carinal Reconstruction

Thirty-six carinal resections were performed: 23 for primary neoplasms of the airways, 5 for bronchogenic neoplasms, and 8 for inflammatory lesions. In 31 cases, primary reconstruction was done. Eleven reconstructions were performed without pulmonary resection; in 5, right upper lobectomy was also done, in 9 pneumonectomy, and 6 patients had had a prior left pneumonectomy. Five staged reconstructions were attempted.The mode of reconstruction depended on the precise location and extent of the lesion. Bronchial anastomoses to the side and end of the trachea or to the end of the trachea and to the side of a bronchus predominated. Four deaths occurred among the 31 patients who had primary reconstruction (13%). Two patients with anastomotic stenoses had successful reexcision. Attempts at staged reconstruction failed.     

Experience of twenty-one cases of tracheo-bronchoplasty

Twenty-one cases of tracheo-bronchoplasty were performed in Akita University Hospital from 1997 to 2007. There are 14 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 3 cases of adenocarcinoma, 2 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma, 1 case of inflammatory tracheal stenosis, and 1 case of inflammatory bronchial stenosis. We performed 12 cases of right upper sleeve lobectomy, 4 cases of left upper sleeve lobectomy, 2 cases of left lower sleeve lobectomy, 1 case of right sleeve pneumonectomy, and 2 cases of tracheoplasty. Of 3 cases, we added sleeve resection of pulmonary artery. The ends of the bronchus are anastomosed end-to-end. The bronchial anastomotic suture was carried out peri-cartilaginously through all layers using an interrupted suture technique except for membranous portion. Membranous portion was sutured a continuous anastomotic technique. We use monofilament, absorbable suture material.     

Reconstruction and its prognosis in patients undergoing resection of tracheal bifurcation

Seventeen resections of tracheal bifurcation were performed: 12 for bronchogenic carcinoma, 2 for primary neoplasm of the trachea, one each for pulmonary sarcoma, inflammatory lesion and metastatic thyroid carcinoma. We performed carinal reconstruction in eight patients, sleeve pneumonectomy in eight patients and wedge pneumonectomy in one. In patients undergoing carinal reconstruction, there were 2 operative deaths and six patients survived over five years after the operation. However, in patients undergoing sleeve (wedge) pneumonectomy, there were 3 operative deaths, four patients died from 3 months to 7 months, and only two patients survived 5 years after the operation. Carinal resection with pneumonectomy had poorer prognosis than carinal reconstruction.     

气管及其隆突部肿瘤的外科治疗与预后

目的 总结分析气管及其隆突部肿瘤的临床表现、诊断、手术方法以及预后.方法 回顾性分析1986年6月至2005年6月手术治疗的32例气管及其隆突部肿瘤患者的临床资料,其中男性22例,女性10例,年龄14～63岁,中位年龄48岁.32例患者中气管肿瘤切除+端端吻合10例;全肺隆突切除+气管与主支气管端端吻合8例(右侧6例,左侧2例);右上肺隆突袖式切除重建术4例;隆突切除重建术4例;气管开窗行肿瘤及气管壁部分切除6例,其中2例因气管壁切除范围过大,以涤纶布内衬修补.结果 32例中鳞状细胞癌19例,腺样囊腺癌8例,腺癌2例,类癌1例,平滑肌肉瘤1例,腺瘤1例.手术并发症包括术后1例胸腔感染,3例出现心律失常.全组患者无手术死亡.随访时间5个月～3年,随访率100%.Kaplan-Meier法计算1、2和3年生存率为93.7%、59.4%和50.0%.结论 鳞状细胞癌和腺样囊性癌是气管及其隆突部肿瘤最常见的组织类型,术前气管镜和CT可帮助诊断,手术方式的正确选择是提高治疗效果的关键.     

24例隆凸气管主支气管肿瘤的外科治疗

总结１９８０－１９９４年２４例隆凸,气管,主支气管肿瘤病人手术治疗经验,方法,行气管、主支气管袖状切除对端合术１７例,隆凸切除重建术６例,气管纵行开窗刮除肿瘤减压术１例。结论：隆凸及气管手术比较复杂,手术难度大,但严和掌握的适应证,选择合理的术式及麻醉方法,可以取得满意的疗效。     

Patch-closure of tracheal defects with pericardium/PTFE. A new technique in extended pneumonectomy with carinal resection

Patch closure of a tracheal defect resulting from extended pneumonectomy including the main carina and a limited area of the lower trachea or the opposite bronchus is described in five cases of bronchogenic carcinoma and one case of metastatic melanoma. It was accomplished by the use of a PTFE soft-tissue patch and integrated pericardial flap. Airway continuity was satisfactorily restored in all but one case with a longest survival of 30 months. One patient developed an empyema and died from respiratory failure after 6 weeks. The method is technically easy and can serve as an alternative to resection of the whole bifurcation in selected cases. Intraoperative ventilation using double lumen tubes needs not be altered.     

Veno-venous extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation-assisted right tracheal-sleeve pneumonectomy

Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy for lung cancer is an old technique, and it is reserved for exceptional cases with tracheal carina involvement. Intra-operative airways management of this operation is incredibly complex, involving thoracic surgeons, anaesthesiologists and pulmonologists. We report a case of a 38-year-old male with no clinical history, referred to our department for an adenoid-cystic carcinoma involving distal trachea, carina and main right bronchus. Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy was performed using extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A veno-venous ECMO circuit was established through a heparin-coated percutaneous cannula in the right femoral vein and a heparin-coated percutaneous cannula in the internal right jugular vein by ultrasound assistance. No major complications occurred, and the patient was discharged after 30-day bronchoscopic control, showing the absence of fistula and negativity of the methylene blue test. ECMO-assisted surgery ensures adequate respiratory support, haemodynamic stability, lower risk of bleeding complications with a clean operating field and better brain and myocardial oxygenation.     

Evaluation of therapeutic method for malignant tumors involving the tracheal carina]

We evaluated 9 patients with malignant tumors involving the tracheal carina. In 2 patients, carinal reconstruction was performed using Miyamoto's method and sleeve pneumonectomy was performed in another patient. All 3 patients had no anastomotic complications after the operation and were ambulatory at discharge. Two patients are still alive, and the others died by 15 months after surgery. Dynamic stenting was performed in 4 patients and a Dumon stent was used in 2 patients. Respiratory symptoms were relieved soon after stent placement, but none of the stented patients survived more than 3 months, except for one who also had surgery. Sometimes surgery is avoided because of its high morbidity and mortality, but the prognosis is very poor without resection. We think surgery should be performed where possible, when the disease is resectable. Miyamoto's method is superior to others and causes few complications.     

Bronchoplastic surgery for lung cancer and the results

Fifty-nine patients with lung cancer underwent bronchoplastic surgery in our institute from September, 1965 to May, 1982. The post surgical stages of disease were as follows: 7 cases of Stage I disease, 7 cases of Stage II, 41 cases of Stage III, 4 cases of Stage IV. The bronchoplastic surgery performed included sleeve resection combined with lobectomy in 35, wedge resection combined with lobectomy in 11, reconstruction of the lower area of the trachea in 5, bronchial sleeve resection combined with pulmonary artery resection in 6 and bronchial wedge resection combined with pulmonary artery resection in 2. There was no case of operative mortality within 30 days after the operation. To prevent postoperative complications, careful techniques are required in suturing and postoperative bronchoscopic suction of intrabronchial secretion is necessary. The use of Dexon or Dexon S, polyglycolic acid sutures, showed good results. Adjuvant therapies were performed on 42 cases, including preoperative infusion of Mitomycin C into the bronchial arteries or postoperative irradiation or both. Twenty-eight of 59 were alive and well from 7 months to 16 years after the operations. The relative 5 year survival rates were 40.5 per cent in total cases and 46.5 per cent in those with squamous cell carcinomas. The prognosis of patients undergoing bronchoplasty was compared with that of patients undergoing lobectomy and pneumonectomy. There was a statistical difference between bronchoplasty and pneumonectomy.