Surgical Correction of Subglottic Stenosis of the Larynx in Infants and Children; Progress Report

Abstract

A survey of 25 consecutive cases of severe subglottic stenosis in children and infants, managed conservatively, revealed an unexpectedly high 24% mortality rate. A three year ongoing experimental study in infant primates indicated the feasibility of operative correction of subglottic stenosis without interference with usual laryngeal growth potentials. Initial results in the surgical correction of subglottic stenosis in two patients are very encouraging. For surgical correction of subglottic stenosis we recommend division of the cricoid and upper trachea anteriorly with interposition of autogenous cartilage, without removal of scar tissue, and without internal laryngeal stenting.