Evaluation of patients with a mediastinal tracheostoma at our department

Mediastinal tracheostomas have poor tissue separating the tracheal skin suturing area and the mediastinum and therefore, infection occurring in the suture area readily extends to the mediastinum. In addition, there is the risk of rupture of the brachiocephalic artery due to mediastinitis or tracheal necrosis. To avoid this postoperative complication, we have performed an operative technique in which the mediastinal tracheostoma and the surrounding area are covered using a pectoralis major muscle flap for separation of the tracheostoma from mediastinal major blood vessels. In this study, we evaluated 6 patients who underwent mediastinal tracheostomy at our department between 1998 and 2003. No fatal complications such as tracheal necrosis, f istulation between the trachea and brachiocephalic artery, or mediastinitis were observed in any patient.