[Sleeve resection for bronchial carcinoid tumors: results in 13 patients with an average follow-up of 6 years].

In the period August 1974-April 1989 13 patients, 6 men and 7 women with a mean age of 36.9 years, underwent a sleeve resection for centrally located bronchial carcinoid tumours. Operations performed were: sleeve lobectomy of the right upper lobe 7; sleeve lobectomy of the left lower lobe 1; sleeve resection of the right main bronchus 2; sleeve resection of the left main bronchus 3. Five patients underwent preoperative laser therapy (from 1986 on). Histological diagnosis was typical carcinoid in all cases. Staging was T2N0M0 (stage I) in 7 patients and T3N0M0 (stage III A) in 6 patients. There was no perioperative mortality. During follow-up (mean 74.6 months) there was no late mortality and good results in 12 patients without signs of recurrence or bronchial stenosis. One patient underwent a completion pneumonectomy 16 months postoperatively because of anastomotic stricture without evidence of tumour recurrency. With centrally located bronchial carcinoid tumours sleeve resections are preferred to more extensive resections. The salvage of functional lung tissue in these generally young patients is important. The excellent short and long-term results substantiate this policy.