Thirty-nine patients were operated for bronchial carcinoid tumour between 1967 and 1988 out of a total of 97 so-called benign bronchial tumours. Based on a clinical, radiological and endoscopic assessment of this series, the authors discuss the modalities of surgical treatment which depend on the site of the tumour. Treatment consisted of enucleation for the two peripheral carcinoid tumours and tracheobronchectomy in 6 cases (15%) and pulmonary resection in 31 cases (79%) for the central tumours. Lung resection was performed alone in 25 cases (64%): 1 pneumonectomy, 2 bilobectomies, 19 lobectomies and 3 segmental resections. The lung resection was associated with bronchial resection-anastomosis in 6 cases (15%). The immediate postoperative course was uneventful. There were two deaths: one from myocardial infarction after one year and one from hepatic metastases (malignant carcinoid) after 7 years.