[LONG-SEGMENTAL TRACHEA REPLACEMENT USING NICKEL-TITANIUM ALLOY STENT WRAPPED WITH AUTOLOGOUS PERICARDIUM]

To perfect the surgical process that trachea could be reconstructed by nickel-titanium (Ni- Ti) alloy stent wrapped with autologous pericardium, and to evaluate the effectiveness and observe the complications.

In the experiment, twelve healthy Bama suckling pigs with weight of 18-25 kg were selected. The pericardium was harvested to cover the Ni-Ti alloy stent. The compound artificial trachea was used to reconstruct long-segmental (6 cm) trachea defect. The effectiveness, complications, the properties, and growth rate of the new mucosa of the artificial trachea lumen were observed.

Of 12 pigs, 2 died soon because of hemorrhage and infection, respectively; 7 died at 2-4 months after operation because of hyperplasia at the middle section and blockage of phlegm plug; 3 survived after 42 weeks postoperatively, but accompanied with dyspnea symptom. At 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 months after operation, the average crawl length of the new trachea mucosa was 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mm, respectively; the occurrence rates of anastomotic stenosis were 0 (0/10), 0 (0/9), 0 (0/4), 33.3% (1/3), and 33.3% (1/3) respectively; and the occurrence rates of scar hyperplasia in the middle of lumen were 20% (2/10), 66.7% (6/9), 75.0% (3/4), 66.7% (2/3), and 100% (3/3), respectively. At 7 months postoperatively, the bronchoscopy examination showed that the scar in central part of artificial trachea had the trends of stagnation, softening, and narrowing, and respiratory symptom had the trend of slight ease. Hyperplasia tissue could be found in central part of artificial trachea by autopsy and was verified to be fiber cells and necrotic tissue by pathology examination.

Ni-Ti alloy stent with autologous pericardium can insure that the reconstructed tracheal lumen is unobstructed, and support the trachea epithelium regeneration; the main factors of the death of the