Tracheal Resection

Robert E. Merritt, Douglas J. Mathisen

Key Points

  • Diseases of the trachea that require surgical resection and reconstruction include idiopathic tracheal stenosis, postintubation injuries, and primary tumors of the trachea.
  • Simple radiologic techniques without use of contrast medium will delineate most pathologic conditions of the trachea.
  • Bronchoscopy is invaluable in determining the extent of airway disease preoperatively.
  • Tracheal strictures need to be serially dilated with pediatric rigid bronchoscopes before endotracheal intubation.
  • Dissection of the trachea remains close to its lateral border to avoid injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerves.
  • The tracheal anastomosis is done with interrupted absorbable suture material (4-0 Vicryl).
  • Anastomotic tension is minimized by neck flexion and traction sutures (2-0 Vicryl).
  • A strap muscle flap is interposed between the tracheal anastomosis and the innominate artery.

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.

© 2026 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Unbound Medicine, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All content is protected by copyright and may not be used for AI model training or other unauthorized purposes.