We retrospectively analysed morbidity, mortality and oncological results of patients who had undergone surgery for bronchial carcinoid tumours. Between 2002 and 2012, 65 patients with bronchial carcinoids underwent lobectomy (n = 34), sublobar resection (segmentectomy/wedge) (n = 18), sleeve lobectomy (n = 5) (reconstruction of the pulmonary artery was associated in 1 case), sleeve resection of the main bronchus (n = 4) or pneumonectomy (n = 4) (reconstruction of the carina was associated in 1 case). Resection was radical with histologically negative margins in all patients (R0). Histology showed typical carcinoid (TC) in 55 (84.6%) patients and atypical carcinoid (AC) in 10 (15.4%) patients. Final pathological stages were Stage I in 42 (64.6%) patients, Stage II in 18 (27.7%) and Stage III in 5 (7.7%). No postoperative mortality was observed. The postoperative morbidity rate was 15.4% (no bronchial and/or vascular reconstructive-related complications occurred). The median follow-up was 58 (range 2–121) months. The overall recurrence rate was 12.3% (n = 8). The survival rate at 5 years was 100% for TC and 87% for AC. Disease-free survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 95 and 93% for TC and 78 and 44% for AC, respectively (P = 0.004). Pathological nodal involvement (pN1–N2) did not affect overall survival or recurrence. The surgical treatment of bronchial carcinoids provides high long-term survival rates. Low postoperative morbidity and mortality can be expected even after bronchial reconstruction. The AC appears to be the main factor that determines the risk of recurrence. Bronchial reconstructive lung sparing operations are not related to an increased recurrence rate.

The use of bronchial and arterial sleeve resections for the treatment of centrally-located lung cancers, when available, has become the option of choice in comparison with pneumonectomy (PN). Technical expertise, in particular in vascular reconstruction, and perioperative management improved over time allowing excellent short-term and long-term results. This is even truer if considering literature data from the main experiences published in the last years. These evidences have given to such lung sparing reconstructive procedures more and more acceptance among the surgical community. This article focuses on the main technical aspects and literature data regarding bronchovascular sleeve resections.