Non-circumferential membranous resection of the trachea for paraganglioma: A case report

• Published in: International journal of surgery case reports Vol. 51; pp. 288 - 291
• Main Authors: Wannaz, Laure, Roumy, Aurélien, Letovanec, Igor, Lovis, Alban, Beigelman, Catherine, Ris, Hans-Beat, Gonzalez, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Extra-corporeal membranous circulation; Muscle flap; Tracheal tumor; FDG PET-CT; Extra-corporeal membranous circulation; VA ECMO; DLCO; FEV1; Tracheal tumor; Muscle flap
• ISSN: 2210-2612; 2210-2612
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2018.09.016

•Although rare, paraganglioma should be included in the differential diagnosis of an intra-thoracic membranous tracheal mass.•Upfront non-circumferential surgical resection of paraganglioma may be indicated.•Airway reconstruction can be performed using a latissimus dorsi flap.•Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation may be useful for tracheal repair.
Paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor and may sometimes be located in the membranous part of the trachea.
We report the case of a 52-year-old man presenting a paraganglioma just above the carina with obstructive symptoms. The patient successfully underwent a non-circumferential tracheal membranous resection, followed by latissimus dorsi muscle flap repair, under peripheral extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Complex carinal resection can be avoided for tracheal membranous tumors and replaced with non-circumferential resection and direct reconstruction with a muscle flap. In addition, ECMO support may be used for airway resection and reconstruction.
Tracheal membranous tumors can be managed without circumferential resection or direct anastomosis.