[Bronchoplastic methods in the resection treatment of malignant bronchial tumors]

1548 patients who were hospitalized 1964--1975 for diagnosis and treatment of bronchogenic carcinoma, 779 underwent resection. 17 patients could be operated by lobectomy or bilobectomy and bronchial resection (sleeve resection). Postoperative complications were frequent (n = 8): 4 times bronchopleural fistula, 2 times empyema, once fatal pneumonia and once bronchial stenosis. The overalll mortality and the survival rates are comparable to those of patients with radical resections. Sleeve resection is therefore a suitable alternative to pneumonectomy in elderly patients with reduced pulmonary function, rarely indicated also by a favourable tumor size. Sleeve resection increases the resectability of malignant bronchogenic tumors by 2%. Methods to prevent or cure the postoperative complications consisted in the use of absorbable suture material and long lasting intrathoracic suction.