Tracheal resection and primary anastomosis remains the treatment of choice for tracheal stenoses of different origin. We analysed the characteristics and results of 14 patients treated between January 1996 and July 1999 with tracheal resection and primary anastomosis in our institution. The etiology was a postintubation or posttracheotomy stricture in 9, tracheal tumor in 4 and posttraumatic in 1. In 12 patients a cervical approach was used, one patient had a sternotomy and one patient a right thoracotomy. In all patients a tracheo-tracheal anastomosis was performed. The length of the resected trachea ranged between 1 and 4.5 cm. Post-operative complications were prolonged ventilation in 3 (6d, 7d and 9d), recurrent nerve paralysis or paresis in 3, pneumonia in 2 and a temporary tracheo-cutaneous fistula in one. There were no reinterventions nor recurrences and all patients left the hospital alive and without tracheostomy.
Tracheal resection and primary anastomosis remains a rare procedure but can be performed with low morbidity and good functional results at the condition of good pre-end postoperative management and a meticulous surgical technique. The lessons we learned from our experience will be discussed in detail.