[Sleeve (bronchoplastic) lobectomy for the treatment of carcinoma of the lung: report of 135 cases].

135 cases of lung cancer were treated by sleeve (bronchoplastic) lobectomy within 24 years. 90 (66.7%) of them were of squamous cell carcinoma. Postoperative TNM classification showed 81 cases (60.0%) of stage I disease, 33 (24.4%) of stage II, 20 (14.8%) of stage III and 1 (0.7%) of stage IV. Upper lobe sleeve resection was used in 77.7% of the cases (right upper 57, left upper 48). Left upper sleeve lobectomy in 5 cases was accompanied by sleeve resection and reanastomosis of the left main pulmonary artery. One patient (0.7%) died of pulmonary thrombosis. The morbidity rate was 6.6%. Late complications included scar stricture of the anastomosis in 16 cases and recurrence at the site of anastomosis in 5. The 5- and 10-year survival rate was 56.2% and 42.9% respectively. For squamous cell carcinoma in particular, the 5-year survival was 60%. The indications and techniques of this operation are discussed in detail. Sleeve lobectomy had the advantages of preserving as much normal lung tissue as possible while keeping the principle of radical resection uncompromised. The low operative mortality and good long-term survival warrant its popularization.