title: Side-to-Side Tracheobronchoplasty to Reconstruct Complex Congenital Tracheobronchial Stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long segment tracheobronchial stenosis is a rare congenital anomaly that can also occur in combination with abnormal bronchial arborization. Long segment tracheal reconstruction in the setting of a supernumerary bridging bronchus has been reported; however, these repairs can be particularly complex. We present our experience using the bridging bronchus to augment long segment tracheal stenosis with a side-to-side tracheobronchoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with complex long segment tracheobronchial stenosis involving a bronchus suis (right upper lobe bronchus) and a bridging bronchus presented with refractory respiratory distress requiring urgent tracheal reconstruction. Patient 1 was initially managed with modified slide tracheoplasty and tracheostomy. Patients 2, 3, and 4 were managed with single-stage procedures. All patients underwent definitive long segment tracheobronchoplasty consisting of a side-to-side anastomosis between the bridging bronchus and the right upper lobe bronchus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age at surgery was 569, 69, 24, and 142 days, respectively. Weight at surgery was 9.3, 4.3, 2.7, and 5.9 kg. All patients were weaned from mechanical ventilation at 84, 13, 47, and 8 days after side-to-side tracheobronchoplasty. All patients were alive and free from tracheostomy at follow-up of 6.7, 3.8, 2.7, and 0.5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Side-to-side tracheal reconstruction is feasible in severe cases of long segment tracheal stenosis with a right upper lobe bronchus and a bridging bronchus. This technique can be successfully applied in high-risk patients and in the neonatal period and can provide excellent midterm results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ragalie
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ghanayem
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Berens
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Beste
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Electronic address: mmitchell@chw.org.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001980:Bronchi / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome