[Bronchial resections]

In the period 1982-96, 18 bronchial resections were performed. Simple resection was carried out in eight patients, and in ten lung tissue was also removed; six upper lobes and three middle lobes were involved, and in one patient bilobectomy was necessary. The histologic diagnosis was carcinoid in 15 cases (83%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma in two, and in one case neurofibroma. Two patients had postoperative complications, but both recovered completely. All patients were followed up regularly by bronchoscopy. One patient had carcinoid with liver and bone metastases at the time of operation in 1989, but is still alive. Another died from metastases, the rest were in good condition at the most recent follow up. Bronchial resection is a safe procedure which should be preferred to standard pneumonectomy, in order to save as much lung tissue as possible. The frequency of bronchial resections for carcinoids (compared with standard pneumonectomy) was 60%.