Treatments for complications of tracheal sleeve resection for papillary thyroid carcinoma with tracheal invasion

Application of modified spiral tracheoplasty in thyroid carcinoma with trachea invasion: a retrospective analysis of 15 cases

BACKGROUND

To describe the indications, techniques and preliminary experience of modified spiral tracheoplasty in the reconstruction of large tracheal defect after thyroidectomy.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who underwent tracheal torsion to repair large tracheal defects after thyroid carcinoma surgery from January 2019 to January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The extent of tracheal defect, duration of tracheal reconstruction, postoperative complications and surgery results were analyzed.

RESULTS

The duration of tracheal reconstruction was 30-60 min. No postoperative bleeding, incision infection, tracheostomy stenosis occurred. Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred in 5 patients. All patients were followed up for 24 to 60 months. The 2-year overall survival rate was 100%, the 2-year local control rate of trachea was 100%, and the 2-year tumor-free survival rate was 81.8%.

CONCLUSION

The modified spiral tracheoplasty is a safe and effective method to repair the large defect of trachea after thyroid carcinoma invading the trachea.

A high Ki-67 labeling index and high thyroglobulin doubling rate are significant predictors of excision-site recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma following airway resection for locally curative surgery

BACKGROUND

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occasionally invades the trachea and requires airway resection. Tracheal excision site recurrence (ESR) is a serious problem. We investigated predictors of ESR in patients with PTC who underwent airway resection for locally curative surgery.

METHODS

We enrolled 149 patients with PTC who underwent airway resection (median age at the initial surgery: 67 years), including partial-thickness resection (n = 73) or full-thickness resection (n = 76), for grossly curative surgery. The median postoperative follow-up period was 93 months.

RESULTS

To date, 11 patients (6.7%) underwent ESR: 6 underwent full-thickness resection and 5 underwent partial-thickness resection. The time to ESR ranged from 14 to 113 months (median: 57 months) after the initial surgery. None of the 11 ESR patients underwent adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and none of the 4 airway resection patients who underwent EBRT developed ESR. The 5- and 10-year ESR rates were 4.3% and 11.3%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis (forward-backward stepwise selection method), a Ki-67 labeling index (LI) ≥5% (p = 0.048) and the thyroglobulin doubling rate (Tg-DR) >0.33/year (p = 0.009) (for Tg-antibody negative cases) were independent predictors of ESR. Nine of the 11 patients underwent ESR resection and only one developed a second recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

A high Ki-67 LI was a static predictor, and high Tg-DR was a dynamic predictor, of ESR in patients with PTC following airway resection. In such patients, careful postoperative monitoring for ESR is necessary and adjuvant therapies, such as EBRT, may be considered.

Comparative long-term outcomes of airway resection and functional reconstruction for papillary thyroid cancer

INTRODUCTION

The surgical management of patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and tracheal invasion has been a subject of ongoing discussion, particularly regarding the approach to tracheal functional reconstruction. The objective of this study was to examine the surgical technique and prognosis of PTC patients with tracheal invasion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study employed both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models to determine predictive factors that affect the progression-free survival (PFS) of PTC patients with tracheal invasion. Cox regression analysis was conducted by using R software version 4.3.1.

RESULTS

In our study, we included 247 patients with T4a PTC. Among them, 146 patients (59.1 %) were classified as Shin I, 57 patients (23.1 %) as Shin II-III, and 44 patients (17.8 %) as Shin IV. Patients in the Shin I group underwent shaving of the tumours in the airway. The preferred surgical methods in the Shin II, III and IV groups were window resection (66.7 %), sleeve resection (34.8 %) and partial tracheal resection and skin fistula (61.8 %), respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that neither tracheal surgery nor reconstruction procedures had an impact on PFS in T4a PTC patients with tracheal invasion. The 5-year DSS rate for patients receiving radioiodine (RAI) therapy was 87.3 % (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed that tracheal surgery and reconstruction methods had no impact on PFS in T4a PTC patients with tracheal invasion in different Shin groups. Furthermore, RAI therapy has the potential to increase the survival rate of patients with preoperative distant metastasis of T4a PTC.

Sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis in the reconstruction of tracheal defects exceeding six rings: a clinical feasibility study and safety assessment

Objectives

Reconstruction is always required for tracheal defects and sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis is the most common used. The aim of the study was to present surgical techniques and evaluate the outcomes of sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis in the reconstruction of tracheal defects exceeding six rings.

Methods

The study included patients with primary or secondary malignancies and tracheal stenosis from 2014 to 2019, who were treated with sleeve resection exceeding six tracheal rings, and reconstructed with end-to-end anastomosis. Airway status and patient outcomes were the principal follow-up measures.

Results

A total of 16 patients were enrolled in the study including three primary tracheal malignancies, 12 invasive thyroid carcinomas and one with tracheal stenosis. The extent of tracheal resection ranged from seven to nine rings, and the primary end-to-end anastomosis was performed in all 16 patients. Performance of tracheostomy or cricothyroidotomy was done in 6 patients with decannulation at a median of 42 days (range, 28-56). No anastomotic dehiscence, infection or bleeding occurred postoperatively, and all 16 patients maintained an unobstructed airway through the end of follow-up.

Conclusions

Sleeve resection reconstructed with end-to-end anastomosis can serve as an appropriate therapeutic strategy for the tracheal defects even exceeding six rings. Adequate laryngeal release is the key to surgical success.

Surgical strategy of locally advanced differentiated thyroid cancer

Approximately 20% of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) have direct tumor extension with invasion of the surrounding tissues such as the larynx, trachea, esophagus, or recurrent laryngeal nerve. Recent progress of molecular-targeted therapy, such as the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, improves survival outcome in patients with advanced DTC. However, induction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for locally-advanced DTC has presented novel fatal adverse events including fistula in patients with infiltration toward to the trachea, pharynx and esophagus, and fatal bleeding in patients with great vessel invasion. Surgery therefore still has an important role in DTC management, particularly in local control. The surgical strategy for laryngeal/tracheal invasion, which commonly occurs by DTC, is decided according to the extension (depths and area) of the tumor. The "shave procedure" is performed when the tumor has superficially invaded the larynx/trachea. However, intra-luminal extension requires resection and reconstruction of the larynx/trachea wall. Large veins, such as the internal jugular vein and the subclavian vein, are also frequently directly invaded by DTC. Three types of jugular vein reconstruction have been advocated to avoid fatal complications according to bilateral jugular vein ligation. The majority of carotid artery invasion by DTC can be managed with tumor resection of the sub-adventitial layer without reconstruction surgery using an artificial vessel. In this review article, we examine surgery for advanced DTC, showing the surgical strategy toward DTC that has invaded the laryngotracheal, recurrent laryngeal nerve, esophagus/hypopharynx, or great vessels.

A modified tracheal transection approach for cervical esophageal lesion treatment: A report of 13 cases

Background

Surgical interventions for tumors in the cervical esophageal region are complicated and laryngeal function is frequently sacrificed. Therefore, we attempted the tracheal transection approach to resect the tumor while preserving laryngeal function.

Methods

Three patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), six with cervical esophageal cancer (CEC), and four with CEC mixed with thoracic esophageal cancer (TEC) were enrolled. The esophagus was exposed after the trachea was transected between the second and third tracheal rings. CEC/TEC: Resection of the esophagus or/and a portion of the hypopharynx with acceptable safety margins and repair with free jejunum or tubular stomach. PTC: Suture the small esophageal incision immediately after removing the tumor. The tracheal dissection was repaired with interrupted sutures throughout the entire layer after the esophageal lesion was resected. The status of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) determined whether a tracheotomy was necessary.

Results

All 13 patients had effective esophageal lesion excision, with six of them requiring intraoperative tracheotomy. Postoperative complications included a tracheoesophageal fistula (one case, 7.7%), postoperative RLN paralysis (two cases, 15.4%), and aspiration (three cases, 23.1%). Except for two patients with distant metastases, there was no recurrence in the remaining patients after 5-92 months of follow-up.

Conclusion

The tracheal transection approach, as a new surgical technique, can retain laryngeal function while ensuring appropriate exposure and satisfactory surgical resection. Before surgery, the feasibility of this approach must be carefully assessed. The RLN should be protected during the procedure. The operation is both safe and effective, with a wide range of applications.

Surgery for Thyroid Cancer Invading the Trachea

Thyroid cancer invading the trachea can be asymptomatic, but when tumour invasion reaches the mucosal surface, it causes bloody sputum and dyspnoea. The treatment plan for thyroid cancer is determined based on the site, depth, and extent of the invasion. Different from tumours arising from the tracheal mucosa, in thyroid cancer, invasion begins outside the airway and progresses toward the lumen, making it difficult to accurately diagnose the extent of the invasion even with bronchoscopy. Therefore, surgeons must determine the range of resection during surgery. Invasion reaching the tracheal mucosa requires full-thickness resection and is performed using tracheal window resection combined with tracheocutaneous fistula or tracheal sleeve resection followed by end-to-end anastomosis. The airway is safely secured with window resection, but closing the tracheal stoma often requires multi-stage reconstruction. Sleeve resection is an oncologically appropriate surgical method that can be completed in one stage, although there is a risk of serious complications associated with anastomotic dehiscence. Since well-differentiated thyroid cancer progresses slowly, some degree of survival can be expected even with incomplete resection. However, when shaving is performed for tumours with deep invasion that reaches the tracheal mucosa, the residual tumour tissue continues to grow steadily and eventually leads to airway stenosis. Since reoperation for tracheal resection is difficult, radical full-thickness resection should be performed in the initial surgery. Although this surgical intervention is far more demanding for both patients and surgeons than shaving, the procedure eventually improves patient's prognosis and quality of life.

Tracheal and Cricotracheal Resection With End-to-End Anastomosis for Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature on 656 Patients

Airway involvement by advanced thyroid carcinoma (TC) constitutes a negative prognosticator, besides being a critical clinical issue since it represents one of the most frequent causes of death in locally advanced disease. It is generally agreed that, for appropriate laryngo-tracheal patterns of invasion, (crico-)tracheal resection and primary anastomosis [(C)TRA] is the preferred surgical technique in this clinical scenario. However, the results of long-term outcomes of (C)TRA are scarce in the literature, due to the rarity of such cases. The relative paucity of data prompts careful review of the available relevant series in order to critically evaluate this surgical technique from the oncologic and functional points of view. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement on the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. English-language surgical series published between January 1985 and August 2021, reporting data on ≥5 patients treated for TC infiltrating the airway by (C)TRA were included. Oncologic outcomes, mortality, complications, and tracheotomy-dependency rates were assessed. Pooled proportion estimates were elaborated for each end-point. Thirty-seven studies were included, encompassing a total of 656 patients. Pooled risk of perioperative mortality was 2.0%. Surgical complications were reported in 27.0% of patients, with uni- or bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy being the most common. Permanent tracheotomy was required in 4.0% of patients. Oncologic outcomes varied among different series with 5- and 10-year overall survival rates ranging from 61% to 100% and 42.1% to 78.1%, respectively. Five- and 10-year disease specific survival rates ranged from 75.8% to 90% and 54.5% to 62.9%, respectively. Therefore, locally advanced TC with airway invasion treated with (C)TRA provides acceptable oncologic outcomes associated with a low permanent tracheotomy rate. The reported incidence of complications, however, indicates the need for judicious patient selection, meticulous surgical technique, and careful postoperative management.

Surgical Management of Tracheal Invasion by Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Simple Summary

Tracheal invasion is a poor prognostic factor in well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Appropriate resection can improve the prognosis and maintain the patient’s quality of life. Shaving resection for superficial tracheal invasion is minimally invasive because it does not involve the tracheal lumen, despite the problematic risk of local recurrence. Window resection for tracheal mucosal and luminal invasion provides good tumor control and does not cause postoperative airway obstruction; however, the need for surgical closure of the tracheocutaneous fistula is a disadvantage of this method. Circumferential (sleeve) resection and end-to-end anastomosis are highly curative, but the risk of fatal complications, such as anastomosis dehiscence, is a concern.

Abstract

Well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) is a slow-growing cancer with a good prognosis, but may show extraglandular progression involving the invasion of tumor-adjacent tissues, such as the trachea, esophagus, and recurrent laryngeal nerve. Tracheal invasion by WDTC is infrequent. Since this condition is rare, relevant high-level evidence about it is lacking. Tracheal invasion by a WDTC has a negative impact on survival, with intraluminal tumor development constituting a worse prognostic factor than superficial tracheal invasion. In WDTC, curative resection is often feasible with a small safety margin, and complete resection can ensure a good prognosis. Despite its resectability, accurate knowledge of the tracheal and peritracheal anatomy and proper selection of surgical techniques are essential for complete resection. However, there is no standard guideline on surgical indications and the recommended procedure in trachea-invading WDTC. This review discusses the indications for radical resection and the three currently available major resection methods: shaving, window resection, and sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis. The review shows that the decision for radical resection should be based on the patient’s general condition, tumor status, expected survival duration, and the treating facility’s strengths and weaknesses.

Surgical Treatment of Advanced Thyroid Cancer with Tracheal Invasion

Introduction

Tracheal invasion in thyroid cancer occurs in one-third of locally advanced cases and is the third most common site of infiltration following strap muscles and recurrent laryngeal nerves. Surgical resection plays an important role in the management strategy followed by either radioactive iodine or external beam radiotherapy. Nonetheless, there has been still controversy about the optimal extension of the surgery. Case Presentation. Total thyroidectomy, airway resection and bilateral neck dissection were performed in two cases diagnosed as advanced thyroid cancer with tracheal invasion (stage IV according to McCaffrey). The first case underwent partial tracheal resection and direct anastomosis by the V-shape technique, while the latter one required tracheal resection and permanent tracheotomy. After one-year follow-up, no evidence of tumor recurrence or any postoperative complications were found.

Conclusion

Surgical resection still remains the mainstay of management for advanced thyroid cancer in general and for tracheal invasion cases in particular. The decision of surgical resection and tracheal reconstruction methods mostly depends on the extent of tracheal invasion.

From the clavicle to the windpipe: Tracheal window resections reconstructed with calcifying periosteum in thyroid cancer

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of tracheal window resection and reconstruction using a vascularized periosteal flap (intended for calcification) harvested from the medial clavicle. This is one of several surgical techniques for tracheal resection and reconstruction used for patients with thyroid carcinoma invading the trachea. Importantly, in partial tracheal resection postoperative dynamic airway collapse must be prevented. Reconstruction of the tracheal defect with a vascularized periosteal flap is one method of achieving a stable airway.

METHODS

Twelve patients with locally advanced thyroid carcinoma who underwent tracheal resection and reconstruction at Oslo University Hospital from 2004 to 2017 were studied retrospectively. The primary outcome was a stable airway not requiring airway stenting. The secondary outcomes were the time to decannulation, morbidity, and survival.

RESULTS

Eleven of 12 patients did not require airway stenting postoperatively after a median of 111 days. Seven patients developed postoperative complications. The median observation time was 74.8 months (range 10.5-153.5) for all patients. The median disease-free survival was 40 months (range 0-147). By February 1, 2020, seven patients were alive, of whom five showed no evidence of disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Tracheal reconstruction with a vascularized periosteal flap yielded good results in terms of establishing a stable airway. This procedure is a viable reconstructive option that allows for decannulation by preventing airway collapse, thereby potentially mitigating the need for end-to-end (ETE) anastomosis or sleeve resections. For selected patients, this procedure may prevent local fatal complications from thyroid cancer invading the trachea.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 4.

Long-term outcomes of differentiated thyroid cancers with tracheal invasion: A 15-year experience

BACKGROUND

Tracheal invasion is reported to occur in approximately one-third of the patients of locally advanced thyroid cancers. There is a paucity of data in literature with regard to the long-term outcomes of thyroid cancers with tracheal invasion.

METHODS

A total of 37 patients from our tertiary care center underwent radical surgery for tracheal involvement for differentiated thyroid cancers between the years 2002 and 2016. The variables pertaining to the demographics, clinical presentation, imaging, operative details and histopathology reports were captured from the patient's case records and analyzed.

RESULTS

Among the 37 patients, there were 21 males and 16 females. Majority of the patients (56.8%) were >55 years of age. Surgery (tracheal resection) was performed in the primary setting in 29 patients, whereas it was performed in a recurrent setting in 8 patients. As per the Shin classification, 3 patients belonged to Shin stage 1, 3 to Shin stage 2, 16 patients to Shin stage 3 and 15 patients to Shin stage 4. There was no 30 day postoperative mortality in our cohort. The median follow-up of our cohort was 175 months. The 5-, 10-, and the 15-year overall survivals of the entire cohort were 81.7%, 47.8%, and 35.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our series shows favorable long-term oncological outcomes of selected patients of thyroid cancers with tracheal resection and adds to the limited long-term data available in literature.

Tracheal Resection in the Management of Thyroid Cancer: An Evidence-Based Approach

OBJECTIVE

Determine the effect of patient demographics and surgical approach on patient outcomes after tracheal resection in the management of thyroid cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Systematic review of literature was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library to identify patients with thyroid carcinoma who underwent tracheal resection. Pooled estimates for patient demographics, presenting findings, complications, and outcomes are determined using random-effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Ninety-six relevant studies encompassing 1,179 patients met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis pooled rates of complications: 1.7% (confidence interval [CI] 0.8-2.5; P < .001; I² = 1.85%) airway complications, 2.8% (CI 1.6-3.9; P < .001; I² = 13.34%) bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, 2.2% (CI 1.2-3.1; P < .001; I² = 6.72%) anastomotic dehiscence. Circumferential resection pooled estimates major complications, locoregional recurrence, distal recurrence, overall survival: 14.1% (CI 8.3-19.9; P < .001; I² = 35.26%), 15% (CI 9.6-20.3; P < .001; I² = 38.2%), 19.7% (CI 13.7-25.8; P < .001; I² = 28.83%), 74.5% (CI 64.4-84.6; P < .001; I² = 85.07%). Window resection estimates: 19.8% (CI 6.9-32.8; P < .001; I² = 18.83%) major complications, 25.6% (CI 5.1-46.1; P < .014; I² = 84.68%) locoregional recurrence, 15.6% (CI 9.7-21.5; P < .001; I² = 0%) distal recurrence, 77.1% (CI 58-96.2; P < .001; I² = 78.77%) overall survival.

CONCLUSION

Management of invasive thyroid carcinoma may require tracheal resection to achieve locoregional control. Nevertheless, postoperative complications are not insignificant, and therefore this risk cannot be overlooked when counseling patients perioperatively. Laryngoscope, 131:932-946, 2021.

The revised clinical practice guidelines on the management of thyroid tumors by the Japan Associations of Endocrine Surgeons: Core questions and recommendations for treatments of thyroid cancer

The Japan Associations of Endocrine Surgeons has developed the revised version of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Thyroid Tumors. This article describes the guidelines translated into English for the 35 clinical questions relevant to the therapeutic management of thyroid cancers. The objective of the guidelines is to improve health-related outcomes in patients with thyroid tumors by enabling users to make their practice evidence-based and by minimizing any variations in clinical practice due to gaps in evidential knowledge among physicians. The guidelines give representative flow-charts on the management of papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, along with recommendations for clinical questions by presenting evidence on the relevant outcomes including benefits, risks, and health conditions from patients' perspective. Therapeutic actions were recommended or not recommended either strongly (◎◎◎ or XXX) based on good evidence (😊)/good expert consensus (+++), or weakly (◎, ◎◎ or X, XX) based on poor evidence (😣)/poor expert consensus (+ or ++). Only 10 of the 51 recommendations given in the guidelines were supported by good evidence, whereas 35 were supported by good expert consensus. While implementing the current guidelines would be of help to achieve the objective, we need further clinical research to make our shared decision making to be more evidence-based.

Update on thyroid ultrasound: a narrative review from diagnostic criteria to artificial intelligence techniques

Objective

Ultrasound imaging is well known to play an important role in the detection of thyroid disease, but the management of thyroid ultrasound remains inconsistent. Both standardized diagnostic criteria and new ultrasound technologies are essential for improving the accuracy of thyroid ultrasound. This study reviewed the global guidelines of thyroid ultrasound and analyzed their common characteristics for basic clinical screening. Advances in the application of a combination of thyroid ultrasound and artificial intelligence (AI) were also presented.

Data sources

An extensive search of the PubMed database was undertaken, focusing on research published after 2001 with keywords including thyroid ultrasound, guideline, AI, segmentation, image classification, and deep learning.

Study selection

Several types of articles, including original studies and literature reviews, were identified and reviewed to summarize the importance of standardization and new technology in thyroid ultrasound diagnosis.

Results

Ultrasound has become an important diagnostic technique in thyroid nodules. Both standardized diagnostic criteria and new ultrasound technologies are essential for improving the accuracy of thyroid ultrasound. In the standardization, since there are no global consensus exists, common characteristics such as a multi-feature diagnosis, the performance of lymph nodes, explicit indications of fine needle aspiration, and the diagnosis of special populations should be focused on. Besides, evidence suggests that AI technique has a good effect on the unavoidable limitations of traditional ultrasound, and the combination of diagnostic criteria and AI may lead to a great promotion in thyroid diagnosis.

Conclusion

Standardization and development of novel techniques are key factors to improving thyroid ultrasound, and both should be considered in normal clinical use.

Secondary tracheal tumors: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Secondary tracheal tumors arise from mural invasion by primary tumors in adjacent organs, metastatic lymph nodes or blood-born metastasis from distant sites. This systematic review aims to assess the presentation, management options, and clinical outcomes of these uncommon non-tracheal malignancies.

METHODS

Electronic searches of the MEDLINE database were performed to identify case series and individual case reports of tracheal invasion by primary non-tracheal tumors or metastatic disease. All English-language studies with available abstracts or articles containing primary data were included.

RESULTS

From 1978 to 2017, a total of 160 case reports or case series identified 2,242 patients with invasion of the trachea by tumors of adjacent organs (n=1,853) or by metastatic lymph nodes or hematogenous spread (n=389). Common primary sites of origin were thyroid, esophagus, and lung, and the most common presentation was metachronous (range of interval: 0 to 564 months) with dyspnea, neck mass, voice change and/or hemoptysis. A majority of patients in case reports (77.9%) and case series (66.0%) underwent resection and the most common reported operation was segmental tracheal resection. Fewer patients underwent bronchoscopic intervention (21.7%) and radiation was used in 32.2% of patients. Complications after bronchoscopic treatment included bleeding, granulation tissue, and retained secretions, while anastomotic leak, unplanned tracheostomy, and new recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis were observed after surgical resection. The rate of 30-day mortality was low (0.01-1.80%). Median survival was higher in patients with thyroid malignancy and in patients who underwent surgical management. Follow-up time ranged from 0.03 to 183 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with tracheal invasion by metastatic or primary non-tracheal malignancies should be assessed for symptoms, tumor grade, tumor recurrence and concurrent metastases to decide on optimal surgical, bronchoscopic or noninterventional therapy. Clinical experience suggests that palliative endoscopic intervention for tracheal obstruction by metastasis-bearing lymph nodes is underreported.

Complications from tracheal resection for thyroid carcinoma

Thyroidectomy associated to en bloc tracheal resection with end-to-end anastomosis is the treatment of choice of thyroid tumor invading the tracheal wall and is associated with a good prognosis. However, the postoperative morbidity is not irrelevant. The present review aims to discuss the complications occurring after this aggressive surgical procedure. The search was performed using PubMed through an overarching for the following terms: "complication of tracheal resection [AND] invasive thyroid cancer". Postoperative complications rate after tracheal sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis for thyroid cancer invading tracheal wall range from 15% to 39%. Postoperative mortality is about 1.2%. The most common postoperative complications are: anastomotic dehiscence, airway stenosis, infections and bleeding. Tumor local recurrence can be considered a late on set complication. To conclude, in locally invasive thyroid cancer, en bloc resection of the thyroid with the tracheal segment interested by the tumor provides a good prognosis despite the non-negligible postoperative morbidity rate. Patients' selection and accurate surgical technique performing a tracheal tension-free anastomosis are mandatory to reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality.

Anastomosis in the absence of a suprahyoid release following circumferential sleeve resection is feasible in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients with tracheal invasion

Invasion of the trachea is observed in ~6% of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), and surgery is accepted as the treatment of choice. However, surgical procedures can be challenging and are associated with various risks. The authors of the present study performed a retrospective study of patients with DTC and tumor invasion of the trachea. Outcomes from patients that received circumferential sleeve resection (CSR) of the trachea followed by anastomosis in the absence of suprahyoid release (n=21; CSR group) and patients that underwent tangential resections [n=103; tangential ‘shave’ resection (TSR) group) were analyzed. In the CSR group, 4 to 8 tracheal rings were circumferentially resected. All patients underwent end-to-end anastomosis in the absence of suprahyoid release following CSR, and 7 patients developed cancer metastasis following surgery. With the exception of 2 patients that succumbed to disease, the remaining patients in the CSR group survived without cancer recurrence. In the TSR group, all of the patients experienced cancer recurrence within five years post-surgery. A total of 61 patients developed metastases in the three years following surgery, and 71 patients succumbed to cancer metastasis within five years. The survival rate of the CSR group was significantly increased compared with the TSR group. The results of the present study suggest that in DTC patients with defects involving up to 8 tracheal rings, it may be appropriate to perform anastomosis without suprahyoid tissue release as it is associated with a reduced incidence of perioperative morbidity.

Thyroid cancer with tracheal invasion: a pathological estimation

We review the clinical and pathologic features of seven cases of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid that invaded the trachea and were treated by thyroidectomy, airway resection with reconstructive surgery over an interval of 15 years. We depicted the peculiarity of invasion of well differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells is perpendicularly oriented to the tracheal lumen, in between cartilaginous rings, along blood vessels and collagen fibers. Tracheal rings appear non-infiltrated in all histological sections of well differentiated PTC infiltrating the trachea. Similar description of inter-cartilage PTC infiltration into the trachea was first provided by Shin et al. in 1993. Interestingly, our pathological revision support the estimation by Shin et al., though that cartilage rings infiltration did occur in poorly differentiated thyroid cancers with exiguous prognosis.

Surgical treatment of air way disease

Airway lesions are treated by resecting and subsequent reconstructive surgery. Tracheoplasty and bronchoplasty are applied to inflammatory stenosis, damage due to trauma, and primary tumors of the airways. The indications for lobar (bronchial) sleeve resection are commonly applied to lung cancers that develop at the proximal portion of the lobar bronchus. Recently, extended sleeve lobectomy (ESL) is widely indicated among the routine techniques used to avoid pneumonectomy because of its reliability and effectiveness. In some cases the cancer is limited to the segmental bronchi, segmental sleeve resection is sometimes performed. In the field of respiratory surgery, carinal resection-reconstruction is one of the most rare procedures and challenging issues, involving difficult surgical techniques, anesthetic techniques, and postoperative management. Tracheal surgery was generalized so that it could be applied to any type of tracheal disease that required resection, including tumors.