[Tracheal tumor resection and reconstruction surgery]

Ninety-six tracheal tumor patients were treated surgically. Tracheal resection was performed in 79 patients with 11 primary tracheal tumors (nine with adenoid cystic carcinoma), and 68 secondary tumors involving the trachea (62 with thyroid carcinoma). Resection of the trachea plus carina was performed in 16 patients with 10 primary pulmonary carcinomas, 4 adenoid cystic carcinomas and 2 varied tumors. Tracheal incision and tumor enucleation was carried out in one patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma. With patients presenting no bloody sputum, initial diagnosis was thought to be bronchial asthma. In many cases, therefore, suffocation almost occurred before surgical treatment. Eleven of 13 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma were alive without recurrence at last follow-up, this ranged from 2 to 9 years. Two patients died with recurrence 5 and 6 years, respectively, after operation. Postoperative radiotherapy appeared to be effective in obviating local recurrence in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea. In patients with thyroid carcinoma invading the trachea, of the 29 patients eligible for 5-year follow-up, 19 were still alive, and of the 10 patients eligible for 10-year follow up, seven were still alive. However, in patients with thyroid carcinoma remaining after tracheal resection, 10-year survival was rare.