Reconstruction of the trachea, carina and bronchi

In the past 30 years to March 1985, at Keio University Hospital, 72 tracheal reconstructions, 7 carinal reconstructions, 5 sleeve pneumonectomies and 75 bronchial reconstructions were performed. One patient underwent right upper sleeve lobectomy and sleeve resection of the anterior basal segment of the left lower lobe, both for squamous cell carcinoma. Without these sophisticated procedures and if conventional operation had been performed, right pneumonectomy and left lower lobectomy would have been required in this patient. With the application of bronchoplastic operation this patient could maintain fair lung function for daily life. Although rate of postoperative complications in tracheobronchial reconstruction can not be negligible, appropriate adoption of this procedure with skillness will improve postoperative result.