Subglottic tracheal stenosis

Abstract

The resection and reconstruction of benign laryngotracheal strictures demands from the surgeon a critical selection of patients and careful preoperative judgment. The technical execution of the operation depends on mucosal resurfacing of cartilaginous planes within a small subglottic lumen. Postoperative edema or mucosal compromise potentially threatens the airway and clinical outcome; this circumstance explains the somewhat higher early complication rate and the slightly inferior long-term results compared with simple tracheal end-to-end anastomosis. When carefully performed, however, laryngotracheal reconstruction offers effective treatment with excellent long-term results for both idiopathic and intubation stenosis.