Tracheal stenosis. A study of 100 cases.

A series of 100 cases of tracheal stenoses, 66 non-neoplastic and 34 neoplastic, are reviewed; tracheal resection was performed in 28 inflammatory stenoses and in five tumours. A T-tube stent was used in 12 patients. Results were good in 81% of resections for non-neoplastic stenoses; two out of three resections for adenoid cystic carcinoma are alive after ten years and the third died after two years with metastases; two patients who received a tracheal resection for epidermoid carcinomas died after three and four years with metastases. Inflammatory tracheal stenoses treated using T-tube achieved good results only in one third of cases. Pre-operative preparation is the most important factor to obtain good results: end-to-end anastomosis requires a healthy mucosa without infection or ulcers.