A silicone prosthesis for covering a large tracheal defect in patients who underwent surgery for locally recurrent aggressive thyroid cancer.

Following the usual sleeve or window resection of the trachea, reconstruction of the trachea can be carried out without difficulty in patients with aggressive thyroid cancer. When the cancer recurs locally in those patients, reoperation often yields a large tracheal defect, for which a commercially available tracheostomy cannula or a silicone-tube does not fit. By using a technique in the maxillofacial prosthetic field, it has become possible to make a new type of prosthesis which is more comfortable and acceptable to the patients with a large tracheal defect. A new type of silicone rubber prosthesis is made individually from the mold of each patient. Several appointments are required for adjustments by the chair side. It must tightly obstruct the tracheostomy stoma so that the patient can easily breathe, speak and take oral fluids. Patients can easily remove and replace this device by themselves and care of the prosthesis is easy. The practical use of this type of prosthesis in three patients is reported herein.