A simple myocutaneous flap for short-stump mediastinal tracheostomy.

A long, U-shaped myocutaneous flap was designed to construct mediastinal tracheostomy in patients with a short tracheal stump. The technique was used in 1 patient who had tracheal carcinoma and whose tracheal stump was 1.5 cm and in 2 patients whose posterior part of the tracheal stump was 3 cm and 5 cm, respectively, and who had advanced cervicothoracic esophageal carcinoma. The flap provides a cosmetic effect and its construction saves time in the surgery of long-segment tracheal carcinomas and locally advanced cervicothoracic esophageal carcinomas.