Surgical treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis in infants and children

Laryngotracheal stenosis in children is difficult to manage, especially in cases of acquired lesions. Of 317 cases reviewed, 75 surgical cases are reported here: 28 were congenital and 47 acquired, mostly due to endotracheal intubation. A large variety of laryngotracheoplasty techniques have been used in reconstruction, depending on the age and status of the patient, the size of the laryngeal lumen, the exact site of the stenosis and any associated anomalies. The three main techniques used have been described by Evans, Cotton, and Rethi. Stenting relied on Silastic rolls, Montgomery T-tubes and Aboulker Teflon prostheses. The results in 65 patients showed a decannulation rate of 92% in cases of congenital stenosis and 80% in acquired ones. Improvements in therapy still seem necessary in order to reduce the cannulation time following treatment and the sequelae producing dysphonia.