Surgical treatment of post-intubation lesions of the trachea

One hundred and fifty-six patients with post-intubation lesions of the trachea were treated surgically. Of these patients 14 had cuff lesions as a result of ventilatory assistance with endotracheal tubes only. Cuff lesions predominated in those who had tracheostomy tubes. There were six tracheo-esophageal and one tracheoarterial fistulas. The majority of the patients were repaired by end to end anastomosis through the cervical route, most of the others through the cervico-mediastinal route with only five patients by the transthoracic approach. Ninety-one percent have achieved either a good or satisfactory result to date.