Tracheal stenosis complicated with tracheoesophageal fistula.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of surgical treatment in patients with simultaneous occurrence of postintubation tracheal stenosis (TS) and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). METHODS: In the group of 51 patients with postcannulation tracheal stenosis who underwent segmental resection, TEF was identified simultaneously in five (10%) of them. The mean age of the TS-TEF patients was 43 years (range 35-60 years). The patients underwent a single-stage operation during which TEF was sealed and resection of the stenotic tracheal segment was performed. RESULTS: The cause of TEF and of TS was artificial pulmonary ventilation by tracheostomy tube (n=4) or by endotracheal tube (n=1) with a simultaneous insertion of nasogastric tube. In one of the patients with tracheostomy the fistula resulted from an injury to the pars membranacea tracheae and the esophageal wall during tracheostomy. All the patients were respiring spontaneously before the surgical treatment. The mean length of the fistula was 24.0 mm (range 15-30 mm), the fistulae were located at the junction of the upper and middle third of the trachea. The mean length of the resected tracheal segment was 29.6 mm (range 26-32 mm). Postoperative complications were not observed in the group of the TS-TEF patients, none of them died. CONCLUSIONS: The method of choice of the surgical treatment of TEF associated with TS is a single-stage procedure in the patient who respires spontaneously.

[Resection of the trachea in acquired cicatricial stenosis]. / Resekce trachey pro získanou jizevnatou stenózu.

The objective of the submitted paper is to draw attention to the possible occurrence of post-cannulation ciccatrial stenoses of the trachea after long-term artificial pulmonary ventilation and possibilities of a surgical solution. The optimal therapeutic method is resection of the stenotic portion of the trachea. The authors present an account on 22 patients where during the period from 1996-1998 a resection of the trachea was performed. Of basic importance for indication for resection of the trachea is bronchoscopic, X-ray (tomograms) and CT examination which assesses the diameter, site and length of the stenosis. The limiting factor is assessment of the length of the stenotic portion. In stenoses longer than 5-6 cm it is useful to consider insertion of a stent. The authors made resections of the trachea of a maximum length of 55 mm. As to postoperative complications restenoses were most frequent and were resolved by implantation of a Montgomery T-tube. Indications of patients for surgery on account of stenosis of the trachea calls for close interdisciplinary collaboration of the bronchologist, radiologist and thoracic surgeon. Due to the small number of patients operated with this complication it is useful to concentrate these patients in specialized departments.

[Complications of mediastinoscopy examinations]. / Komplikace mediastinoskopického vysetrení.

In 1970-1990 in the Institute of Lung Diseases in Prague a total of 180 mediastinoscopies were performed. In the submitted paper the authors discuss 169 of these examinations. In this group 20 examinations were associated with a peroperative or postoperative complications, i.e. a total of 12% of the examinations. However, only in three patients, i.e. cca 1.8% from the total number serious complications were involved which were unequivocally specific for mediastinoscopy. In two instances massive haemorrhage occurred from lacerated mediastinal vessels associated with superior vena cava syndrome and in one case pneumothorax developed. All these complications were controlled by surgical intervention made in time. The most frequent complication after mediastinoscopic examination was retention of a serohaematoma in the wound--this was recorded 11 times. The cause of its development is the method of preparation and anatomical conditions in the pre- and paratracheal space. The percentage of this complication can be reduced by using active drainage of the mediastinum.

[Extended pulmonary resection in non-small cell lung cancer]. / Rozsírené plicní resekce pro nemalobunecný typ plicní rakoviny.

The authors give an account of their experience with extensive pulmonary resections on account of an extensive non-small-cell carcinoma of the lungs. During a 13-year period (1976-1988) they made 140 extensive resections of the lungs. As to histological characteristics, the epidermoid type of tumour predominated. The tumour spread most frequently to mediastinal nodes and the thoracic wall. The mean age of the patients was 54.9 years, the mortality within 30 days after operation 5.7%. The five-year survival of patients after operation was evaluated in patients operated between 1976 and 1988 when 90 operations were performed. The majority of patients (32.5%) survived combined surgery. Two patients survive after 10 years. Due to the small number of patients and their difficult comparability it is not possible to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of treatment statistically. In the literature views on combined postoperative treatment differ, a randomized study would be useful. In the conclusion the authors advocate continuation of the hitherto used trend of therapy, they recommend introduction of new chemotherapeutic agents in close collaboration with oncologists and concentration of patients in specialized departments.

[Hemothorax as a complication of thoracotomy]. / Hemotorax jako komplikace torakotomie.

In 1969 to 1989 in the Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases in Prague a total of 3583 thoracotomies were performed. Of these during the postoperative period 29 patients were re-operated on account of continuing haemorrhage into the pleural cavity. This is approximately 0.8% of all thoracotomies. Sixteen patients had to be re-operated within 12 hours after operation, 12 patients were re-operated later than 12 hours after operation but within 24 hours, one patient was re-operated later than 24 hours after operation. The cause of haemothorax was in the first place capillary haemorrhage from a lacerated pleura, in the second place haemorrhage from a severe intercostal artery at the very site of the thoracotomy. Other causes of haemorrhage such as haemorrhage from the bronchial artery and its branches are not frequent. None of the patients had to be re-operated on account of haemorrhage from the major arteries of the pulmonary hilus. Administration of small doses of heparin before and after operation did not influence the number of re-operations on account of haemothorax.