title: Continuous absorbable suture technique for tracheobronchial sleeve resections.
abstract: From January 2000, we changed from the traditional interrupted suture technique for tracheobronchial sleeve resections to a continuous suture technique with absorbable suture. This retrospective study reviewed our experience in the first 50 consecutive patients operated on between January 2000 and August 2006. The median age was 61 years (range, 30 to 80 years). There were 35 men and 15 women, 49 had malignant disease, and 1 had a benign tumor. Two patients had tracheal resection without removal of lung parenchyma; all others underwent sleeve lobectomy. There was 1 (2%) operative death due to pneumonia, and 8 (16%) postoperative complications including atrial fibrillation, lobar atelectasis, prolonged parenchymal air leak, empyema, paralytic ileus, and chylothorax. There was no anastomotic dehiscence or bronchopleural fistula. None of the patients developed stricture at the anastomotic site when followed up for a mean duration of 18.6 months. The continuous suture technique is easy to perform and the results are comparable with those of the interrupted suture technique. The use of absorbable suture appears to reduce the incidence of stricture at the anastomotic site.
authors.affiliation: National Heart Center Singapore, 17 Third Hospital Avenue, Singapore. mathewcjose@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Mathew Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chakaramakkil
authors.forename: Loh Yee
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Jim
authors.forename: Jia-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.forename: Thirugnanam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agasthian
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001980:Bronchi / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D013537:Sutures; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials