Surgical treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the left main bronchus and trachea by left pneumonectomy, resection of 7.5 cm of trachea, and direct reanastomosis of right lung.
A 23-year-old woman, who had suffered recurrent acute bronchitis, dyspnoea, and stridor, was found to have a tracheal stenosis and complete left main bronchus obstruction. Biopsy of the tumour showed an adenoid cystic carcinoma. After pneumonectomy the trachea was closed through tumour tissue. Two weeks later a right thoracotomy showed that a tumour had invaded the trachea from the carina up to 6 cm and the right stem bronchus for 1 cm. Under extracorporeal circulation 7.5 cm of the trachea and right bronchus were resected. A direct tracheal anastomosis was easy to perform. Spontaneous respiration with efficient coughing returned after five days. Unfortunately, one month later, high fever caused by a lung abscess developed, which provoked a massive haemoptysis with fatal outcome.
D000328:Adult; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*