Background: To evaluate the feasibility of using vascularized rib and costal muscle ring to repair large circumferential defect of thoracic trachea in dog.
Methods: Eighteen adult mongrel dogs were used in this study. The third rib with adjacent intercostal muscles was engineered to a ring with vascular pedicle , which replaced five or eight rings of trachea.
Results: Eleven of eighteen dogs were alive after operation , and the longest one had survived for 14 months. These dogs were active , although a slight stricture at the newly formed trachea was found. Microscopic examination showed the trachea had good blood supply , and the substitution of pleural epithelium by ciliated epithelium was observed.
Conclusions: Circumferential tracheal replacement with vascularized rib and intercostal muscle ring is easily managed and has less complications. The results suggest that this technique might be clinically used in the future.