Background: Sleeve lobectomy (SL) and tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy (TSP) represent valuable alternative techniques to standard resections in the treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the airway and allow preservation of lung parenchyma.
Methods: Eighty-three sleeve lobectomies and 27 tracheal sleeve pneumonectomies have been performed for nonsmall cell lung cancer in the thoracic department of the University of Milan from 1979 to 1999. There were 46 upper right lobectomies, 11 upper and middle lobectomies, 18 upper left lobectomies, 8 lower left lobectomies, and 27 right pneumonectomies.
Results: Mortality rate was 3.6% in SL and 7.4% in TSP. Complications were 10.8% of all SLs and 15% of all TSPs. The overall 5-year survival rate was 43% for SL and 20% for TSP; the 10-year survival rate was 34% and 14%, respectively. There was a highly significant difference in survival between patients with N0 and N1-N2 disease.
Conclusions: Sleeve lobectomy is an appropriate surgical procedure and an alternative to pneumonectomy in patients with limited respiratory reserve whenever the situation permits. Trachael sleeve pneumonectomy is associated with more complications and poor survival.