Tracheobronchoplasty for lung cancer

Forty-seven patients were pathologically studied in order to identify the kind of local tumoral spread occurring in lung cancer with particular reference to direct infiltration, intra and peribronchial metastasis and multicentricity. The potential absolute and relative criteria for bronchoplasty for lung cancer are discussed. Eighty-three patients were treated over a five-year period with bronchoplasty for malignancy. Survival data show that bronchoplasty can cure some patients with an absolute indication and save lobar function or improve surgical radicality in patients with relative indications.