Reevaluation of bronchoplasty for central-type lung cancer

The outcome, anastomotic complications, and recurrence rate after bronchoplasty carried out in 198 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma in our institutions were evaluated retrospectively. The outcome of bronchoplasty was reasonable (5-year survival rate of 58%), but that of patients with adenocarcinoma was poor (5-year survival rate of 13%) because of their advanced stage and less complete resection. The complications of anastomosis occurred in 8.2% after bronchoplasty. Postoperative pneumonia significantly increased the risk of complications. There was no difference in the incidence of complications between patients who received end-to-end and telescope-type anastomosis. Local recurrence at the anastomosis occurred in 4.9% who underwent bronchoplasty, but in 28% who underwent carinal resection. Lymph node metastasis was a risk factor for local recurrence. Twenty patients with early superficial squamous cell carcinoma in the central bronchus were treated with photodynamic therapy without local recurrence. This new modality may be of benefit to selected patients.