[Surgical excision of tracheal and bronchial tumors after endobronchial Nd-YAG laser photocoagulation].

Sixteen patients with tracheal and bronchial (13 malignant and 3 benign) tumours were operated 4-6 weeks after Nd-YAG laser photocoagulation. The indication of the laser photocoagulation was predicted to maintain the airway patency, to aspirate the accumulated secretion due to tumour obstruction and to examine the bronchial system beyond the tumour. The endobronchial laser photocoagulation is applied in most of the cases as a palliative treatment, since its application may contribute to decrease the perioperative complications of bronchial tumours.