Bronchoscopic evaluation of bronchial healing after carinal reconstruction

Surg Today. 1996;26(6):407-12. doi: 10.1007/BF00311927.

Abstract

Bronchoscopic evaluation of the anastomoses created by carinal reconstruction was carried out over a period of 7 weeks in 6 patients who had undergone carinal and lobar resections for lung cancer, and 4 who had undergone carinal resection without pulmonary resection for carinal tumors. The techniques of reconstruction included end-to-end and end-to-side tracheobronchial anastomoses with omental, fat, or pleural wrapping. Bronchial healing at the anastomosis was evaluated using a bronchial healing score (BHS) based on the bronchoscopic findings. The degree of healing was scored on a 0 to 4 scale, with 0 indicating normal mucosa; 1, edema or reddening; 2, mucosal color changes; 3, ulceration; and 4, diffuse ulceration. One postoperative death occurred as a result of anastomotic leakage. The remaining nine patients were divided into three groups according to the bronchoscopic findings on postoperative day (POD) 7: group A (n = 3) had mild ischemia at the anastomosis, group B (n = 3) had moderate ischemia at the anastomosis, and group C (n = 3) had severe ischemia at the anastomosis. Bronchial healing of the anastomosis improved over a 7-week period in groups A and B, but was delayed in group C. These findings led to the conclusion that wound healing of the anastomosis following carinal reconstruction requires more than 7 weeks due to the consequent devascularization resulting from the extended bronchial resection and lymph node dissection.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Bronchi / physiology
  • Bronchi / surgery*
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / surgery*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Tracheal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tracheal Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Wound Healing*