Surgical Treatment of Tumors in Neck-thoracic Junctional Regions

Objective To study the operative method and key points of surgical treatment for the tumors in neck-thoracic junction-al region. Methods 14 patients with tumors of neck-thoracic junctional regions, who received operative treatment for resecting the tumors from 5,1975 to 6,2003 in our hospital, 10 were male and 4 female. They were 15-68 years old (averagely 46 ±10.4). Of 14 cases of the tumors,6 were neurogenic tumors,3 substernal thyrocele,1 malignent thymoma,1 tracheal cyst,l aberrant parathyroid tumor, 1 fibromatoas and 1 esophageal cyst. All the operation were perfmed under general anesthesia .The median sternotomy was done in 4 patients and the subtotal division of median neck and stenum combined with the anterior lateral incision (hemi-shell incision) in 10. Results The tumors were totally resected in 11 patients and partly in 3. NO patient died from the operation. One patients was reoperat-ed on for recurrenace after the operation. Three patients died of the tumor matastasis during follow-up period. Conclusions Neurogenic tumors are common, and most of them are benign in the tumors of neck-thoracic junctional region. For the decompression of trachea, esophagus and vessels, the operation should be done as early as possible after the diagnosis in the patients with the tumors of neck-thoracic jumctional region. The hemi-shell incision has some advantages such as good vision and preventing accidental injury. It is necessary to prolong mechanical ventilation postoperatively, which is helpful to keeping the trachea normal position and the respiratory tract clear.