title: Reconstruction of the thoracic tracheal defects with portions of deepithelialized myocutaneous flaps after resection of a large tumor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the possibility of using portions of deepithelialized myocutaneous flaps to the reconstruction of thoracic tracheal defects after resection of a large tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2007 to June 2012, five cases of defects of the thoracic trachea were reconstructed by applying portions of deepithelialized myocutaneous flaps. The patients were 27-61 years old with 4 male cases and 1 female. The cervical trachea ranged in diameter from 4-8.5 cm with circumferences of approximately 1/3-2/5 of the bronchial circumference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All five patients with thoracic tracheal defects after resection of a large tumor were cured of portions of deepithelialized myocutaneous flaps, with no tracheal stricture remaining and vomica successfully eliminated. During the first 1 to 3 months after the operation, bronchoscopy showed that the tracheal lumens were smooth, and the visible skin of the musculocutaneous flaps became gray and exhibited a small amount of white discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite this being a small series and short follow-up, this thoracic tracheal reconstruction with portions of deepithelialized myocutaneous flaps shows encouraging preliminary results and could be an alternative to other methods for the treatment of carefully selected patients with thoracic tracheal defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University;
authors.forename: Susheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jianxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Weiqiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yin
keywords: Deepithelialized; myocutaneous flap; tracheal defect