Abstract
It is well known that reconstruction of the trachea following extensive resection is safely accomplished by direct anastomosis. However, the extent of resection which still permits direct end-to-end anastomosis has remained undifined.
In order to study the limitation in length of tracheal resection, the author measured extensibility of the trachea by means of tracheography. The trachea was extended by about 7% of its initial length in a deep inspiration phase. Head and neck extension produced more increase of trachea of 14% on the average.
The author also measured maximal extensibility of corpses' resected tracheas and found that the extensibility was definitely in inverse proportion to the age. A relationship between them as follows.
Maximal Extensibility (%) =46.54-0.43×Age
Assuming that limitation in length of tracheal resection was equor to maximal extensibility minus extension in respiration, limitations ard obtained.
