Surgical outcomes and risk factors for complications after tracheal resection in benign tracheal stenosis: A 15-year single-center experience

Background: Surgical resection is an established treatment for benign tracheal stenosis with favorable outcomes in selected patients. This study aimed to evaluate postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing tracheal resection and reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who underwent surgical treatment for tracheal stenosis between January 2010 and December 2024. Of 110 patients, those with tracheoesophageal fistula (n=25), malignancy (n=18), or incomplete follow-up (n=5) were excluded. A total of 62 patients with benign tracheal stenosis were included. Demographic characteristics, surgical details, airway management strategies, perioperative interventions, comorbidities, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Results: Among the 62 patients, 24 (38.7%) were female and 38 (61.3%) were male, with a median age of 37 years (range: 4-83). The primary etiology was post-intubation stenosis in 50 patients (80.7%) and post-tracheostomy stenosis in 12 (19.3%). No cases of idiopathic laryngotracheal stenosis were identified in our surgical cohort. The mean resection length was 2.76±0.9 cm. Surgical access was achieved via collar incision in 87.1% of patients. Ventilation was managed using a laryngeal mask airway in 59.6% and an endotracheal tube in 40.4%. Postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (20.9%), including wound infection, restenosis, and vocal cord edema. Although complications were more frequent in patients with comorbidities, the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). No mortality was observed. Conclusion: Tracheal resection and reconstruction is a safe and effective treatment for benign tracheal stenosis, with low morbidity and no mortality in this series. Increased complication rates were associated with extended resections and proximal airway involvement. Careful patient selection and meticulous surgical planning are essential to optimize outcomes.