Pericardial patch tracheoplasty for the repair of a long, multisegmental postintubation tracheal damage

Abstract

A 64-year-old man was admitted with a postintubation, multisegmental tracheal damage comprising of two stenotic lesions, below and above a tracheotomy. The patient underwent resection of the damaged anterolateral tracheal wall through a combined collar-cuff and median sternotomy incision and tracheoplasty with autologous pericardium around a Silastic T-tube that was fixed to the cricoid cartilage, healthy distal trachea, and the remaining membranous wall. The postoperative period was complicated with a deep sternal wound infection that was successfully treated with vacuum-assisted closure for 2 weeks. Removal of the T-tube 9 months later resulted in a patent and well-functioning airway. Pericardial patch tracheoplasty and T-tube stenting of the repair for several months is a good alternative to extended tracheal resection for the treatment of the rare long, postintubation multisegmental tracheal damage. The pericardial patch is highly resistant to infection and allows the formation of a neotrachea.