TRACHEAL TRANSPLANTATION - SUPERIOR AND INFERIOR THYROID ARTERY PERFUSION TERRITORY

Objective: To determine the perfusion territories of the superior and inferior thyroid arteries in humans. Tracheal transplantation is a pot ential option for management of long-segment tracheal stenosis, Howeve r, the maximum length of vascularized trachea that can be reliably tra nsplanted has not been established. Study Design: The tracheal vascula r territory of individual superior and inferior thyroid arteries was d etermined separately in 10 humans postmortem. Methods: India ink was i nfused unilaterally under controlled pressure into the superior (n = 5 ) and inferior (n = 5) thyroid arteries of cadaveric tracheas, Trachea s were sectioned longitudinally and the caudalmost extent of mucosal d ye staining was determined via microscopic assessment. Results: The tr acheal perfusion territory of the superior thyroid artery was two to f ive rings (1.7 +/- 0.5 cm) and the inferior thyroid artery, nine to 13 rings (6.5 +/- 1.1 cm). In both cases, the tracheal mucosa on the con tralateral side was stained to the same caudal level, Conclusions: The inferior thyroid artery was shown to perfuse the trachea maximally to the 13th ring (8.1 cm), As such, the unilateral inferior thyroid arte ry would serve as a suitable vascular component for long-segment trach eal transplantation in humans.