Abstract
Adenoid cystic carcinoma usually grows in the trachea or near its bifurcation and causes obstruction of the air way. We recently experienced a 33 year-old male patient who had adenoid cystic carcinoma in the left main bronchus with the chief complaint of productive cough. On the bronchoscopy, the mass obstructed the left main bronchus completely and had nodularity and increased vascularity.The trachea was shifted to the left side and the lower lobe of the left lung was atelectatic on chest X-ray and computed axial tomogram.He underwent left tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy and lymph node dissection through bilateral thoracotomy. At first,we attempted left tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy through the left thoracotomy,however, it was very difficult to perform carinoplastic procedure after sleeve resection of 2.5cm of distal trachea and 1cm of proximal right main bronchus including whole left lung because of poor operative field and difficulty in the anastomosis of the right main bronchus to the distal end of the trachea without tension.Therefore after radical resection of the left lung we made right thoracotomy,through which we could anastomosed the distal trachea and right main bronchus with 4-0 PDS interrupted suture after mobilization of the right hilum without difficulty. The tumor was confirmed to be adenoid cystic carcinoma with metastasis to subcarinal lymph node histopathologically. Postoperative course was uneventful but he needed two bronchoscopic procedure to clear distal airway of the retained bronchial secretion. He was discharged at 14 days after operation with complete recovery.