Background & objectives: At present head and neck surgeons from many countries have different opinions on management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC). We will discuss WDTC invading trachea surgical treatment and its clinical significance.
Methods: Retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 15 cases WDTC invading trachea, According to WDTC invading extent and grade, there were 3 kinds of surgical approaches: 1) end to end anastomosis; 2) tissue flap reconstruction; 3)larynx-tracheal dissociation.
Results: 15 cases underwent radical resection and reconstruct the defect of tracheal or larynx-tracheal dissociation. 2 cases received directly suture, 5 cases received sternocleidomastoid muscle flap reconstruction, 2 cases received pectorlis major muscle flap reconstruction, 2 cases received platysma flap reconstruction, 2 cases received free forearm flap with muticore titanium-board reconstruction, 2 cases received larynx-tracheal dissociation with larynx block out and tracheal fistula. 10 cases (10/15, 66.7%) received decannulation postoperation. Patients who were success fully decannulated could recover phonation and maintain airway breath. In the 5 patients who couldn't decannulate, underwent sternocleidomastoid muscle flap reconstruction, 1 underwent free forearm flap with muticore titanium-board reconstruction, 1 underwent pectorlis major muscle flap reconstruction, 2 underwent larynx-tracheal dissociation, but all of them could hardly utter voice by compress tracheostoma and needed permanent tracheostoma due to collapse of trachea. The recurrence rate of our group is 33.33%, 5 years survival rate is 88.89%.
Conclusions: WDTC with trachea invading easily cause dyspnea or emptysis influencing on 5 years survival rate. We should take more actively surgical approach to resect all the tumor and involved organ, thus improve survival rate and reduce recurrence postoperation.