Bronchoscopic Nd-YAG laser surgery for tracheobronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma - a report of two cases

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the tracheobronchial tree represents 0.2% of all lung tumours. It arises from the excretory ducts of the bronchial mucosa and is classified into low-grade and high-grade tumours using criteria derived from similar tumours of the major salivary glands. Low-grade MEC behaves in a benign fashion with less parenchymal and hilar lymph nodal invasion. The traditional method of treatment is by thoracotomy. The bronchoscopic approach to this lesion using lasers has rarely been reported. This article reports two cases of low-grade tracheobronchial MEC, which were both managed through bronchoscopic neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd-YAG) laser surgery. The patients were free from disease, 26 and 36 months after the operations. Bronchoscopic laser surgery promises to be an effective alternative treatment modality for tracheobronchial MEC. It is minimally invasive, results in less hospital stay and does not impair pulmonary functions.