Long-term outcome of bronchoplastic procedures in the treatment of lung cancer

Objective: To assess the value of bronchoplastic procedures in surgical treatment for bronchogenic carcinoma.

Methods: Bronchoplastic procedures were performed in 78 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma from August 1976 to December 2002. There were 67 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (86%). Of the total, 57 patients underwent sleeve resection of the right upper lobe (including 2 undergoing bronchoplasty and angioplasty; 2 undergoing partial carinal plus lobar resection); 1 patient had sleeve bilobectomy of the right upper and middle lobes; 2 patients had sleeve bilobectomy of the right middle and lower lobes. Sleeve resection of the left upper lobe was accomplished in 12 patients (including 3, undergoing bronchoplasty and angioplasty), 5 patients had sleeve lobectomy of the left lower lobe. Postoperative pathological staging: 47 in stage I (60.2%), 23 in stage II (29.5%), 8 in stage III (10.3%).

Results: No operative death occurred in 30 days. Complications were noted in 5 patients (6.6%), including pneumonia (2 patients) and atelectasis (3 patients). The overall 5-year survival for 78 patients was 57.8% (26/45), 43% (6/14) respectively. The 5-year survival for patients in stage I, II and III was 68.7% (22/32), 36.4% (4/11) and 0 (0/2) respectively.

Conclusions: Bronchoplastic procedures for bronchogenic carcinoma extends operative indication to some patients with complication rates comparable to pneumonectomy and improve life quality.