This study evaluates the clinical outcome following surgery of our patients for the last seven years. Between 2001 and 2008 we performed tracheal resections in 60 patients. There were 46 cases of postintubation stenosis and 14 tumors. The range of resected rings was 1-8. The maximal resection length performed in our series (4 cm) was achieved using only basic releasing maneuvers such as anterior dissection of the trachea and cervical flexion. Emergency

Pleural stone or thoracolithiasis is a very rare condition with only 16 cases treated by surgery reported in the literature. We report the case of a 66-year-old patient in whom the pleural stone was thought to be a posterior mediastinal tumor. Exploratory thoracoscopy revealed a 1.5-cm "pearl"-like lesion in the pleural cavity that was easily removed, with an uncomplicated postoperative outcome. As thoracic surgeons, we have to consider this condition