Mediastinal tracheostomy: unilateral resection of the anterior chest wall

Since the first reliable mediastinal tracheostomy described by Grillo et al. in 1966, many new techniques have been described in order to reduce the number of complications. We here report the case of a 55-year-old man who was referred for surgery with post-radiochemotherapy recurrence of a double neoplasm of the pharyngolarynx extending to the proximal trachea and the medial part of the oesophagus. Through a median sternotomy, a pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy was performed with an extended tracheal resection. The reconstruction of the upper digestive tract was performed with a gastric pull-up. The mediastinal tracheostomy was performed with a pectoralis major muscular flap through a right unilateral resection of the manubrium, the right clavicular head and the right first and second costal cartilages. Historically, the mediastinal tracheostomy was performed through a large bilateral resection of the anterior chest wall, in order to prevent the tension on the tracheocutaneous sutures. Nowadays, with the possibility of various pedicled flaps, bilateral resection no longer seems to be necessary. This unilateral resection leads to a reduction in post-operative sequelae.