[Surgical treatment of bilateral thoracotomy in patients with lesions of left main bronchus invading carina].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the outcome for surgical treatment of bilateral thoracotomy in patients with lesions of left main bronchus invading carina by bilateral thoracotomy.


METHODS
The clinical data of 4 patients with lesions of left main bronchus invading carina undergoing bilateral thoracotomy were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
There were two male and two female patients with a median age of 37.5 (range: 27 - 55) years old. Four patients were all accessed by bilateral thoracotomy, and received carinal reconstruction. Of these 4 patients, three patients received left pneumonectomy and one patient received carinal resection without concomitant pulmonary resection. Pathological results showed that one patient had tuberculosis. And other three patients were of 1 squamous cell carcinoma and 2 adenoid cystic carcinomas. Three patients received mechanical ventilation for a period of 3 - 21 days. one patient died of anastomotic dehiscence at 5 days postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral thoracotomy is an alternative approach for relatively young patients with decent cardiopulmonary functions with lesions of left main bronchus invading carina. Operation type should be based on histopathological type and length of involved left main bronchus.
Mu
Ju-wei
JW
Department of Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
Li
Jian
J
Cheng
Gui-yu
GY
Sun
Ke-lin
KL
Zhang
De-chao
DC
Wang
Liang-jun
LJ
Zhang
Ru-gang
RG
He
Jie
J
D000328:Adult; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000601:surgery*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods*; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome