Extended Circumferential Tracheal Replacement: Balance the Risks with the Benefits

Objective: Extended circumferential tracheal replacement (CTR) is a major challenge. Our study aims at balancing the risks against benefits of the procedure.Methods: Publication searches through electronic bibliographic database. Case reports and case series were collected. The Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed probability of survival in cancer patients.Results: Of 74 collected cases 35 well-documented were selected: 15 case reports and four case series including a total of 20 patients. Procedures were carried out for large carcinomas (n=22), mainly of adenoid cystic feature (n=18); benign stenosis (n=9); dehiscence after tracheal resection and reconstruction (n=3); non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n=1). CTR involved the cervical (n=10) or mediastinal (n=17) trachea. In eight cases, an additional carinal resection and reconstruction was performed. Tracheas were reconstructed by means of autologous tissues (n=12), mainly the radial forearm free flap, aortic segment (n=9), Marlex mesh prosthesis (n=6); stem-cell-seeded tracheal matrix or bioartificial nanocomposite (n=5). Finally, three tracheal transplantations were performed.Overall, the in hospital mortality rate was 23% (8/35 patients). In the case of cervical or mediastinal CTR, it was 10% and 27%, respectively, with mortality increase in the case of carinal reconstruction (3/8 patients, 37.5%). The mortality rate in cancer patients was 27% (6/22 patients), and the 5-year and 10-year estimate survival was 48% and 39%, respectively.In the long term, less than one in two alive patients present with a patent airway with no stent or tracheostomy. Conclusion: Cervical CTR are valuable indications and mediastinal CTR might be discussed on a case-by-case basis. In contrast, CRT associated with carinal reconstruction should be discarded. In the case of adenoid cystic carcinoma, risks of the surgery balanced with benefits advocate for definitive chemoradiotherapy which has been demonstrated effective in tracheal/carinal tumour location. Investigations are ongoing in our lab to develop a reliable tracheal substitute capable of decreasing the morbimortality of CRT.