Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2010, 57 patients (34 females, 23 males; mean age 43 years; range 13 to 83 years) underwent pulmonary resection for pre- and postoperatively pathologically confirmed bronchial carcinoid tumors. Type of surgery, histopathological types of carcinoid tumor, postoperative complications, and long-term results were evaluated.

Results: Pathological examination revealed 44 (77%) typical and 13 (23%) atypical carcinoid tumors. Bronchial sleeve resection, pneumonectomy, lobectomy and sublobar resection were performed on 23 (40.3%), three (5.2%), 27 (47.3%) and four patients (7%), respectively. Eight patients (14%) had postoperative complications. There was no perioperative mortality. During the follow-up period, no mortality or local recurrence occurred.

Conclusion: During long-term follow-up period, parenchyma-sparing resections (sleeve lobectomy and bronchial sleeve resection) can achieve good prognosis in patients with typical carcinoid tumor if tumor free surgical margins can be obtained.