Free periosteal grafts in tracheal reconstruction: an experimental study.

If resection followed by end-to-end anastomosis is not possible in obstructive lesions of the trachea other methods of reconstruction must be used. The ability of a periosteal graft to induce bone or cartilage formation when transplanted to cover a tracheal defect was confirmed in a previous experimental study. In this study free tibial periosteal grafts were used for repair of tracheal defects created in rabbits. The graft was placed circumferentially around the trachea. It is concluded that there is a high risk of development of severe osseous tracheal stenosis when periosteal grafts are placed circumferentially around the trachea.