Role of Montgomery T-tube stent for laryngotracheal stenosis

ObjectiveTo identify the indications, complications and outcome of patients of LTS managed with Montgomery T-tube stenting and review the current literature about the role of stenting in LTS.MethodsRetrospective chart reviews of 39 patients of laryngotracheal stenosis managed by T-tube stenting for temporary or definitive treatment during the period 2004–2011 were considered. The data on indications for stenting, type of stent, problems/complications of stenting, duration of stenting, additional intervention and outcome of management were collected, tabulated and analyzed.ResultsOf the 51 cases of laryngotracheal stenosis 39 patients were treated by Montgomery T-tube stenting. There was no mortality associated with the procedure or stenting. 82% of the patients were successfully decannulated. The problems and complications encountered were crusting within the tube in 44% and granulation at the subglottis in 33%. Two patients had complication due to T-tube itself: One patient developed tracheomalacia and the other had stenosis at both ends of the T-tube.ConclusionStenting still has a role in management of inoperable or in some deadlock situations where resection anastomosis is not feasible. It is easier to introduce the stent and to maintain it. Complications are minor and can be managed easily. It is safe for long term use. We emphasize that the treating surgeon needs to use prudence while treating stenosis using stents.     

Surgical management of laryngotracheal stenosis in adults

The purpose was to evaluate the outcome following the surgical management of a consecutive series of 26 adult patients with laryngotracheal stenosis of varied etiologies in a tertiary care center. Of the 83 patients who underwent surgery for laryngotracheal stenosis in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland, between 1995 and 2003, 26 patients were adults (16 years) and formed the group that was the focus of this study. The stenosis involved the trachea (20), subglottis (1), subglottis and trachea (2), glottis and subglottis (1) and glottis, subglottis and trachea (2). The etiology of the stenosis was post-intubation injury ( n =20), infiltration of the trachea by thyroid tumor ( n =3), seeding from a laryngeal tumor at the site of the tracheostoma ( n =1), idiopathic progressive subglottic stenosis ( n =1) and external laryngeal trauma ( n =1). Of the patients, 20 underwent tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis, and 5 patients had partial cricotracheal resection and thyrotracheal anastomosis. The length of resection varied from 1.5 to 6 cm, with a median length of 3.4 cm. Eighteen patients were extubated in the operating room, and six patients were extubated during a period of 12 to 72 h after surgery. Two patients were decannulated at 12 and 18 months, respectively. One patient, who developed anastomotic dehiscence 10 days after surgery, underwent revision surgery with a good outcome. On long-term outcome assessment, 15 patients achieved excellent results, 7 patients had a good result and 4 patients died of causes unrelated to surgery (mean follow-up period of 3.6 years). No patient showed evidence of restenosis. The excellent functional results of cricotracheal/tracheal resection and primary anastomosis in this series confirm the efficacy and reliability of this approach towards the management of laryngotracheal stenosis of varied etiologies. Similar to data in the literature, post-intubation injury was the leading cause of stenosis in our series. A resection length of up to 6 cm with laryngeal release procedures (when necessary) was found to be technically feasible.     

探讨肋软骨瓣移植成形术治疗重症喉气管狭窄成败原因

目的探讨应用肋软骨移植喉气管成形术治疗重症喉气管狭窄成败原因,提高喉气管狭窄成形术技术.方法回顾分析第四军医大学唐都医院1983～2001年采用喉气管裂开移植肋软骨治疗重症喉气管狭窄患者36例病情及治疗结果,研究其成败原因及解决方法.结果 36例中29例(80.5%)一次成形术成功治愈,拔除气管切开套管,恢复正常呼吸,经1～10年随访,疗效巩固.7例失败未愈.失败原因局部皮肤血循环差(大剂量放射治疗后,反复多次手术局部瘢痕重),伤口感染软骨坏死排出,T形管损伤黏膜形成新的瘢痕狭窄和瘢痕体质.结论用肋软骨瓣移植术治疗严重或比较严重的喉气管狭窄方法简单,带T形管时间短,疗效好.缺点是增加一个手术切口,游离肋软骨容易发生缺血性坏死,颈部皮肤放射治疗后及瘢痕体质者慎用此法.选择好适应证,术后加强护理,正确应用支撑器可以提高疗效.     

The efficacy of mitomycin-C in the treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the addition of topical mitomycin-C (MMC) application to the wound site after endoscopic treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) resulted in measurable improvement in clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective chart review of patients with LTS treated by the senior author over a 6-year period was performed. The treatment groups were stratified into two main categories: 1) endoscopic treatment alone and 2) endoscopic treatment + topical MMC. The "symptom-free" interval was determined (in months) for each subject using a two-tailed t test for statistical analysis of the control/study groups. RESULTS: Sixty-seven procedures were performed in 36 patients with LTS with a mean of 1.86 surgical treatments per patient. The mean duration of the symptom-free interval after endoscopic treatment for LTS was 4.9 months in the endoscopic-only treatment group and 23.2 months in the endoscopic group receiving topical MMC. The symptom-free interval observed in the MMC group was significantly longer than the control subjects (P = 1 x 10). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that MMC is an effective adjuvant in the treatment of LTS. The results of this study provide strong supporting evidence that topical MMC is an effective adjuvant in the treatment of LTS.     

Composite hyoid-sternohyoid interposition graft in the surgical treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis

This article reports six patients with severe laryngotracheal stenosis. The causes of stenosis were tracheotomy (two cases); prolonged endotracheal intubation (one case); laryngeal trauma (two cases); and surgery with postoperative chemo- and radiotherapy, addressing a thyroid gland follicular adenocarcinoma (one case). Two patients were already tracheotomized. The main postoperative complication was necrosis of the graft in a female patient who had previously undergone treatment for thyroid follicular adenocarcinoma. All patients were decannulated 6 months postoperatively. Five patients were then regularly followed up, but we lost contact with one patient. Comparison between pre- and postoperative pulmonary function testing revealed an increased maximum inspiratory flow (V _i max₅₀) in five cases between 0.57 l/s and 2.18 l/s. A helical scan with 3-dimensional reconstruction of the cervical area in four patients confirmed the presence and preservation of the hyoid bone graft. Four patients remained satisfied with their postoperative voice quality, one patient was dissatisfied, and one patient was not followed up. This technique is effective in adults with severe laryngotracheal stenosis, restricted to the first tracheal rings, providing one takes into consideration the main contraindications of the procedure: past history of radiotherapy and thyroid surgery. Received: 25 February 2000 / Accepted: 5 September 2000     

Endolaryngeal dilatation versus laryngotracheal reconstruction in the primary management of subglottic stenosis

Objectives

The scope of the study is to compare endolaryngeal dilatations (ED) with laryngotracheal reconstruction with cartilage grafting (LTRCG) in terms of restenosis.

Methods

Pediatric subglottic stenosis patients treated in Hacettepe University, between 2002 and 2012 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients who had ED or LTRCG as primary management were included in the study. EDs were grouped into bronchoscopic dilatation (BD), laser incision and balloon dilatation (LBD) and cold knife incision and balloon dilatation (CKBD). The groups were evaluated in terms of restenosis and decannulation rates.

Results

There were 35 patients (9 females, 26 males; mean age 4.42). LTRCG was performed in 16 patients (9 anterior and 7 anterior and posterior grafts). EDs were performed in 19 patients with 6 CKBDs, 7 LBDs and 6 BDs. There were 3 grade II, 13 grade III cases in the LTRCG group while 4 grade I, 6 grade II, 8 grade 3 and 1 grade 4 in the ED group. Overall decannulation rate was 97% (34/35) in all patients. Restenosis was higher in the ED group (63.2%) than the LTRCG group (31.3%) with rates of CKBD 16.7% (1/6), LBD 71.4% (5/7) and BD 100% (6/6). Restenosis rates were found to be increasing with higher grades (grade I–25%, grade II–66%, grade III–85%).

Conclusion

ED may need more repetitive interventions than LTRCG due to restenosis. Less restenosis might be observed when balloon is used for dilatation and cold knife for mucosal incisions.     

Buccal mucosa graft for laryngotracheal reconstruction in severe laryngeal stenosis

Objective

An operative technique is described as a salvage treatment for severe subglottic and supraglottic laryngeal stenosis. In addition to expansion of the laryngeal framework with an anterior cartilage graft, as used in a classical laryngotracheal reconstruction, the scar tissue obliterating the airway lumen is excised and a mucosal graft is placed to reconstruct the inner lining of the airway. The graft is harvested from buccal mucosa.

Methods

The operative technique is outlined. Three cases, 2 paediatric and one adult, with complete or near complete laryngeal stenosis are presented where this operative technique was employed. In all patients several surgeries had been performed previously which were unsuccessful.

Results

In all 3 patients a patent airway was achieved with decannulation of the tracheostomy in the 2 paediatric patients.

Conclusions

In patients with severe subglottic or supraglottic airway stenosis where other surgeries have failed, excision of endoluminal scar tissue and placement of a buccal mucosal graft, in addition to conventional laryngotracheal reconstruction, is a promising technique. In revision cases of subglottic stenosis cricotracheal resection might not be an option because of scarring from previous surgeries. This operation is an alternative, which allows an increase in the airway lumen by excising the scar tissue then re-lining the exposed internal lumen. The buccal mucosa reduces granulation formation and re-stenosis.     

Surgical management of scleromatous laryngotracheal stenosis

Objective

Scleroma is a chronic specific granulomatous disease of the upper respiratory tract caused by Klebsiella Rhinoscleromatis. It usually affects the subglottic region and upper trachea resulting in various degrees of stenosis. Patients with laryngotracheal stenosis may present with stridor, shortness of breath or exercise intolerance and may be tracheostomy dependent. In this work, we presented the experience of our Institute in the management of patients with scleromatous laryngotracheal stenosis using the already designed procedures for traumatic laryngotracheal stenosis.

Patients and methods

The study was a non controlled prospective study. It was conducted in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Department of Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt. It included 38 patients with scleromatous subglottic stenosis and/or upper tracheal stenosis. The patients were classified into four grades according to Myer–Cotton's scale. The surgical treatment modalities included endoscopic CO₂ laser surgery with dilatation, laryngotracheal reconstruction, and partial cricotracheal resection with thyrotracheal anastomosis.

Results

The average follow-up period was 32.1 months. Twenty four patients (63%) had an excellent outcome. Nine patients (24%) had a good outcome. Five patients (13%) were still tracheostomy dependent. Eleven patients (29%) developed postoperative granulation tissue. The overall success rate was 87%.

Conclusion

Scleromatous laryngotracheal stenosis is considered a challenging surgical problem. It requires a multidisciplinary approach by well-trained personnel. The surgical techniques designed for cases of laryngotracheal stenosis of a traumatic etiology can be applied for cases of scleroma with approximately the same success rates.     

Modern management of laryngotracheal stenosis

OBJECTIVES: Laryngotracheal stenosis is a complex problem resulting most often from intubation, trauma,or autoimmune disease. Management options include dilation or airway reconstruction including laryngotracheoplasty (LTP), cricotracheal resection (CTR), and tracheal resection (TR). We describe our experience with management of this difficult problem. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of patients treated for laryngotracheal stenosis between January 1995 and July 2005 at an academic, tertiary referral center. METHODS: A total of 127 patients were treated during the study period. Patients were followed, and hospital records were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 38 male and 89 female patients with an average age of 55.5 years treated for laryngotracheal stenosis resulting from intubation (64), idiopathic (25) or autoimmune disease (18), radiation (9), trauma (5), prior surgery (4), and relapsing polychondritis (2). Thirty-three percent were treated for grade I stenosis, 44% grade II, 19% grade III, and 4% grade IV. Seventy percent of patients undergoing initial dilation required a subsequent procedure. LTP, CTR, or TR was performed in 43%, 48%, 71%, and 100% of patients with grade I through IV stenosis, respectively. Among 76 patients undergoing LTP, CTR, or TR, 24 (32%) required a subsequent intervention. Among 36 patients treated with primary LTP, CTR, or TR, only 10 (28%) required further therapy. Twenty-two of 35 (63%) tracheostomy-dependent patients were ultimately decannulated. Three patients died in the immediate postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing dilation for laryngotracheal stenosis require multiple procedures. However, major reconstructive procedures are well tolerated and currently represent a viable primary treatment for laryngotracheal stenosis.