Primary repair of tracheal defects is the method of choice and should be employed whenever possible. Occasionally, however, the defect remaining following excision of tumors or deformities of the trachea necessitates the use of a tracheal graft. Numerous animal investigations and several clinical attempts at tracheal grafting almost invariably have been plagued by infection, migration of the graft, ingrowth of fibrous tissue, and eventual stenosis of the graft.1,2
Previous reports from this institution demonstrated that tubes of heavy Marlex mesh functioned satisfactorily as tracheal grafts in mongrel dogs in the majority of instances.3,4 Although the ideal tracheal graft does not exist, the results associated with the use of heavy Marlex mesh appeared far superior to those of tracheal grafts used previously. The present report is a continuing study of tracheal reconstruction with heavy Marlex mesh in these animals and a report of the successful use of similar tracheal