Spiral tracheoplasty after tangential resection of trachea.

Spiral anastomosis was used in 1 patient with recurrent thyroid carcinoma and in another patient with secondary thyroid carcinoma, both involving the right posterolateral wall of the trachea, 3.5 cm and 4 cm, respectively. Before anastomosis was done, both tracheal ends were separated from the esophagus by 2 cm and were rotated by 90 degrees in opposite directions: one clockwise and the other counterclockwise. These 2 patients obtained good patency and received healing of the tracheal anastomosis. Spiral tracheoplasty can reduce the tension at the anastomotic site of the trachea after tangential wall resection.