[Tracheal resections]

Tracheal resection is a valuable treatment option in patients with primary localized tumours and in selected patients with post-tracheostomy stenosis. The main symptom is dyspnoea on activity. Tracheal tumour is a rare condition with adenoid cystic carcinoma as the dominant malignant type, whereas papilloma is the most common benign lesion.

In our institution we performed eight tracheal operations from 1989 to 2002. Five patients had malignant tumours and three post-tracheostomy stenosis. The patients were reevaluated with endoscopy.

Four patients with carcinomas underwent tracheal resection and direct anastomosis. One patient had postoperative irradiation due to carcinoma cells in the resection margin and died five years later. In one patient local infiltration outside the tracheal wall rendered him inoperable. Two of the three patients with benign stenoses had recidivations and underwent endoscopic dilatation and stenting. Patients with localized malignant tumours and selected patients with benign tracheal stenoses may benefit from tracheal resection. Tracheal stenosis is an important differential diagnosis in patients with airway obstruction that does not respond to pharmacological treatment.