[Surgery of expiratory stenosis of the thoracic part of the trachea and main bronchi (author's transl)].

Expiratory stenosis of the trachea and the main bronchi is caused first of all by slackening of the pars membranacea in rarer cases by tracheomalacia or tracheomegalia. Often it is associated with other respiratory diseases above all tracheobronchitis, emphysema and pneumosclerosis. Predominant clinical symptoms are dyspnoea, barking cough and attacks of suffocation. X-ray-pictures in several diameters and levels and bronchological examinations are crucial for securiting the diagnosis. Among 95 patients of all age groups 14 were operated on predominantly according to the method of NISSEN. Operation is contradicted in stages of severe emphysema with respiratory insufficiency of bilateral pulmonary tuberculosis or of chronic bronchitis. In 10 patients a good result was achieved by the operation.