Palliative intubation of the trachea and main bronchi.

A method is presented for the endoscopic intubation of malignant tumors of the trachea and main bronchi with a Souttar tube. This is appropriate when urgent relief of respiratory obstruction is necessary and when the tumor is unsuitable for resection. Eight patients have been so treated, with relief of symptoms for up to 70 weeks in seven. The method failed in one patient. There were no operative deaths.