Endoscopic treatment of paediatric subglottic stenosis and cyst (with video).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to describe step by step the endoscopic treatment of acquired subglottic stenosis (SGS) in an infant and to show the endoscopic results one month after surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Case presentation with instructional video. SETTING: University Hospital of Verona, Italy. METHODS: We present the case of a 6-month-old ex-26-week preterm female infant who required prolonged intubation in the neonatal period. She referred to our hospital for persistent inspiratory and expiratory stridor, and laboured breathing. The endoscopic dynamic examination of upper airway revealed the presence of type 3 laryngomalacia and subglottic stenosis grade III according to Myers-Cotton classification. An endoscopic balloon laryngoplasty was planned. Two laryngeal dilatations were performed. The endoscopic exploration after the first dilatation showed the presence of a subglottic cyst on the anterior surface of the subglottis. The treatment of subglottic cyst consisted of marsupialization of the cyst with cold microinstruments, and subsequent suction of its content. RESULTS: An endoscopic check-up was carried out one month after surgery. The examination of the upper airway under spontaneous respiration didn't show significant subglottic stenosis. A very small subglottic cyst under the anterior commissure was observed. However, no more balloon dilatations or marsupialization of the cyst were performed in order to avoid the formation of synechiae. CONCLUSION: Treatment of SGS must be planned according to the extent of the stenosis and the history of the patient. Endoscopic procedures, such as balloon dilatation and cyst marsupialization, are best chosen for patients with isolated SGS without prior treatment failure.

[The potential of prophylaxis and optimization of the treatment of rhinosinusitis in the children presenting with stenosing laryngotracheitis].

The objective of the present work was to estimate the clinical, prophylactic, and microbiological effectiveness of fusafungine applied for the treatment of acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) in the children that develops as a consequence of acute stenosing laryngotracheitis. The study included 61 children presenting with ARS and concomitant acute stenosing laryngotracheitis (ASLT) that were treated with fusafungine (Bioparox). Both tolerance and safety of this preparation were evaluated. Fusaferine was prescribed after reduction of pharyngeal stenosis. The children were divided into two groups. Group 1 was comprised of the patients with the respiratory symptoms and rhinosinusitis (n = 36), group 2 consisted of the children with the respiratory symptoms in the absence of rhinosinusitis (n = 25). Subgroups of the children treated with fusafungine and without it were distinguished to estimate the clinical, prophylactic, and microbiological effectiveness of fusafungide. Within the first days after hospitalization, 59% of the children with diagnosis ASLT developed bilateral rhinosinusitis, in all probability of viral etiology. Fusafungine produced the clinically apparent effect in the patients with ASLT regardless of the presence of ARS. Specifically, this preparation decreased the degree of hypertrophy of pharyngeal tonsils three times faster than standard therapy; moreover, it reduced the requirement for systemic antibiotics by 1.9 times. The treatment with fusaferine prevented the development of acute bilateral rhinosinusitis in the children with ASLT and promoted compete decontamination of the nasopharynx from M. catarrhalis, Str. pneumonia, Str. pyogenes, H. influenza, Cor. s the nasopharynx pecies, E. faecalis, and C. albicans. The frequency of adverse reactions of organoleptic character was estimated at 16.6%.

Voice-sparing cricotracheal resection.

The treatment of benign subglottic stenoses can be challenging. It requires an experienced multidisciplinary team. It is important to define the aetiology, severity and number/types of any pretreatments of the stenosis. Short-term symptom relief can be achieved with endoscopic techniques; however, this relief comes at the price of a high likelihood of restenosis, which often is more severe than the original stenosis. Successful long-term treatment of subglottic stenosis can be achieved by surgical resection in most cases.  Cricotracheal resection is the established standard technique to treat subglottic stenosis. In patients with advanced disease, it can be extended by a dorsal mucosectomy, a lateral cricoplasty or a partial anterior laryngeal split in order to remove the entire diseased area. In this video tutorial, we describe a modification of cricotracheal resection. In this technique for an extended resection, the cricoid arch is partially preserved. In addition to restoring sufficient airway width, this modification has the advantage that the cricothyroid joint remains intact. Therefore, the reduction in the pitch and volume of the voice associated with the standard resection techniques is avoided.

Subglottic stenosis masquerading as asthma in a young adult: an overlooked and delayed diagnosis.

An otherwise fit young woman presented with a 10-year history of non-progressive wheeze and 'noisy breathing'. She had previously been diagnosed with teenage-onset asthma but had been unresponsive to inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators. A dysfunctional breathing disorder had been considered a possible diagnosis by several general practitioners, and there were no features to suggest systemic conditions. The patient had undergone an otherwise apparently uncomplicated intubation general anaesthetic for a gastroenterological investigation 13 years earlier. An outpatient flexible endoscopic examination of the upper aerodigestive tract demonstrated an isolated subglottic stenosis which was characterised by cross-sectional imaging. Microlaryngoscopy confirmed a smooth subglottic stenosis which was dilated using a minimally invasive balloon dilatation technique to good clinical effect.

A customised laryngeal stent for glottic airway reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: Laryngotracheal reconstructive surgery very often requires placement of laryngeal stents, but most of the available stents either do not conform to the shape of the glottis or are open at the upper end, causing significant tissue reaction and aspiration. LT-Mold is an ideal stent in this respect, but it is not readily available. CASE REPORT: The authors of this study fashioned a laryngeal stent out of a readily available Montgomery T-tube in such a way that it had a closed upper end and was well-conformed to the architecture of the larynx. This stent was used in a case of posterior expansion laryngoplasty, and post-operatively the patient had a patent airway with good voice and no aspiration. CONCLUSION: A customised laryngeal stent is well tolerated and helps to solve complicated cases of posterior glottic stenosis.

Challenging tracheal resection anastomosis: Case series.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to review our experience in Otorhinolaryngology Department, Mansoura University Hospitals, Egypt, in the last 2 years in the management of high-risk patients who underwent cricotracheal resection due to different pathologies. METHODS: This case series included nine patients with severe, grade III or IV subglottic / cervical tracheal stenosis. These patients were considered high risk patients due to unusual pathology / etiology of stenosis or associated surgical field morbidity. Four patients had recurrent stenosis after previous unsuccessful cricotracheal resection, three patients had subglottic stenosis due to external neck trauma which compromised the surgical field. One patient had upper tracheal neoplasm, and in 1 patient there was upper tracheal stenosis associated with tracheo-esophageal fistula. RESULTS: Successful decannulation was achieved in all patients (n = 9) without any reported major intraoperative or postoperative compilations. CONCLUSION: Cases of subglottic / upper tracheal stenosis due to uncommon pathologies like neoplastic lesions, external neck trauma compromising the surgical field and revision cricotracheal resection, can be successfully managed by cricotracheal resection. However, a highly skilled team, well familiar with these surgeries, is mandatory to achieve an optimum outcome.

Airway Management for Endoscopic Laryngotracheal Stenosis Surgery During COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents unique challenges for surgical management of laryngotracheal stenosis. High viral concentrations in the upper aerodigestive tract, the ability of the virus to be transmitted by asymptomatic carriers and through aerosols, and the need for open airway access during laryngotracheal surgery create a high-risk situation for airway surgeons, anesthesiologists, and operating room personnel. While some surgical cases of laryngotracheal stenosis may be deferred, patients with significant airway obstruction or progressing symptoms often require urgent surgical intervention. We present best practices from our institutional experience for surgical management of laryngotracheal stenosis during this pandemic, including preoperative triage, intraoperative airway management, and personal protective measures.

Laryngotracheal foreign body: chicken neck bone.

We herein present a case involving a 78-year-old patient who had aspirated a laryngotracheal foreign body 3 days prior to hospital admission. The patient had severe congenital intellectual disability; however, no agitation, suffocation, or death occurred despite almost complete laryngeal obstruction. The laryngotracheal foreign body was removed by tracheotomy and suspended microlaryngoscopy.

[Minimally invasive treatment of postintubation stenosis by use of Ultra Dream Pulse Laser and steroid-mitomycin in a 4-year-old girl]. / Postintubatiós stenosis minimálinvazív mutéti megoldása 4 éves gyermeken ultrapulzációs lézer és szteroid-mitomicin alkalmazásával.

Postintubation stenosis is a frequent complication of long-term endotracheal anesthesia. In the last few decades, its incidence showed an increasing tendency particularly among children and premature infants. It mostly affects the subglottic area and avoidance of a tracheotomy could lead to better life quality of the patient. We present the treatment of a glotto-subglottic stenosis in a 4-year-old girl. Ultra Dream Pulse Laser surgery was performed with mometason (Elocom) and mitomycin (Mitomycin-C) submucosal injections to prevent refibrosis. Minimally invasive operations play a key role in the treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis. Ultra Dream Pulse Laser surgeries could be safely applied in pediatric patients. Patient follow-up revealed wide glottis without any fibrosis. Ultra Dream Pulse Laser intervention completed with steroid-mitomycin infiltration is an efficient method of treating postintubation stenosis. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(20): 792-796.

Traumatic laryngotracheal stenosis--an alternative surgical technique.

Reconstruction of combined laryngotracheal stenosis requires complex techniques including resection and incorporation of grafts and stents that can be performed as single or multistaged procedure. A complicated case of traumatic laryngotracheal stenosis was managed by us, surgical technique is discussed. A 16-year-old male presented with Stage-3 laryngotracheal stenosis of grade-3 to 4 (>70% of the complete obstruction of tracheal lumen) of 5 cm segment of the larynx and trachea. Restoration of the critical functions of respiration and phonation was achieved in this patient by resection anastomosis of the trachea and with subglottic remodeling. Resection of 5 cm long segment of trachea and primary anastomosis in this case would have created tension at the site of anastomosis. So we did tracheal resection of 3 cm segment of trachea along with subglottic remodeling instead of removing the 5 cm segment of stenosed laryngotracheal region and doing thyrotracheal anastomosis. In complicated long segment, laryngotracheal stenosis, tracheal resection and subglottic remodeling with primary anastomosis can be an alternative approach. Fibrin glue can be used to support free bone/cartilage grafts in laryngotracheal reconstructions.

Subglottic hemangioma: a comparison of CO2 laser, Neodym-Yag laser, and tracheostomy.

For airway obstruction caused by subglottic hemangiomas, tracheostomy is still regarded by some as the only established therapy, despite numerous other therapeutic options. Resection with lasers was also reported, but subglottic scar formation may occur, and different laser types may have advantages over others. The charts of 46 consecutive patients over 26 years were reviewed. Until 1986, therapy involved systemic steroids or tracheostomy. Thereafter, a Neodym-Yag and after 1995 a CO2 laser was used. Mean initial stenosis was 61.0% in the first (n=15), 85.8% in the Neodym-Yag (n=14), and 86.7% in the CO2 period (n=17). Tracheostomy rates could be reduced from 76.9% to 46.9% with the Neodym-Yag and to 30.8% with the CO2 laser, and to 22.2% in children not intubated before referral. One tracheostomy obstruction resulted in severe neurological damage; granulomas required resection in 37.5%. Secondary subglottic stenosis was found in 15.4% with the Neodym-Yag, but not with the CO2 laser. With tracheostomy, 12.5% were symptom-free at age 2-3 years, vs. 25.0% in the Neodym-Yag and 41.6% in the CO2 laser period. Speech development was delayed in 75.0% with tracheostomy, and parental anxiety lessened in only 18.8% before the second birthday (68.8% without tracheostomy). Since the end of the retrospective analysis, we treated a further 21 patients (mean stenosis, 83.3%) with the CO2 laser, with only one tracheostomy (4.8%). Compared to steroids and tracheostomy, a significant reduction in morbidity and speech developmental delay, and an improved quality of life, were achieved with CO2 laser resection, and this approach was superior to the Neodym-Yag laser.

Management of laryngotracheal stenosis on the basis of site and severity.

Seventy-five cases of laryngotracheal stenosis treated between 1981 and 1991 were reviewed to determine the effectiveness of surgical treatment on the basis of site and severity of stenosis. Decannulation and absence of exertional dyspnea were the criteria of successful management. The treatment methods used were endoscopic laser incision and dilatation, expansion laryngotracheoplasty, and segmental resection. Endoscopic procedures were effective in treating thin (< 1 cm) stenoses in the subglottis and trachea. Laryngotracheoplasty was most effective in treating thick stenoses of the glottis and subglottis. Tracheal stenoses were most effectively treated by segmental resections. The probability for decannulation decreased with longer narrower stenoses and with increasing clinical stage.

Prevention and management of bilateral vocal cord paralysis by and after thyroid surgery.

Following the great tradition established in the Szent Rókus Hospital and Institutions by author's predecessor Prof. Aurel Réthi, there have been more than 300 patients operated on for treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis. The vast majority of the cases referred to the department suffering from bilateral vocal cord paralysis were the consequences of thyroid surgery and its complications. Confronted with this challenging clinical scenario, the author became determined to focus not only on reconstruction but also on prevention. For example, all thyreoidectomies are performed with identification and preservation of the recurrent nerves. As the author's department is a center for laryngotracheal reconstruction, patients from different institutions were treated with larynx dilating operations, benefiting from the newly developed additional techniques. With the goal of refining alternatives to previous glottis dilating operations, new methods have been worked out for the management of bilateral vocal cord paralysis based on our endo-extralaryngeal suture technique. These recently popularized approaches consist of two operations, an irreversible one and a reversible one. The first operation is performed on patients whose vocal cords are paralyzed. This irreversible operation can be performed with and without arytenoidectomy. These operations were successful in 94 out of 99 patients. The second operation was the reversible endo-extralaryngeal lateralization, which was carried out in 63 patients, 61 of which were successful. In the reversible technique the suture was not removed if the cords remained paralyzed. If there was evidence of return of vocal cord function, the suture was removed, thus eliminating the need for further dilating operations. The author feels that these two operations are quite successful because the medial mucous membrane of the vocal cord is preserved, avoiding scar and granuloma formation. The operations may be performed without any kind of tracheostomy. These are significant advantages over most other glottic dilating operations.

[Stridor in infants: sometimes not so innocent]. / Stridor bij de zuigeling: soms niet zo onschuldig.

Stridor is a frequent symptom in the neonate. Often it consists of a discrete inspiratory stridor in an alert child or of a transient symptom of a viral respiratory infection. In both cases no specific therapy is required. Whenever stridor occurs in the first months of life, or when it is severe or chronic, or when stridor also persists throughout expiration, an underlying anatomic anomaly frequently exists. The following steps are important to the diagnostic management: besides a detailed and complete history and physical examination, an X-ray of the airways and, if necessary, laryngo/bronchoscopy, angio(cardio)graphy or computerized tomography of the chest and the cervical region. Subsequently, appropriate therapeutic management can be initiated by proficient and accomplished physicians.

[Laryngeal reconstruction using endoprostheses for benign stenosis]. / Rekonstruktsiia gortani s primeneniem endoprotezov po povodu stenozov nerakovoi etiologii.

A clinical trial was made of two types of laryngeal endoprostheses in surgery of stenosis caused by benign diseases. A total of 15 patients were operated on. In 11 patients endoprosthesis of biocompatible polymers was inserted, in 4 patients the stenosis was corrected with endoprosthesis of silicon rubber. Most of the patients had stenosis as a result of complication of thyroid surgery. The operative technique is described. In extensive defects of the anterior wall of the larynx and trachea, advanced scar stenoses a new operation is proposed-autoalloplasty using body and manubrium of the sternum.

[Long-term outcome of endoscopic CO2 laser surgery of cicatricial laryngostenosis in children]. / Otdalennye rezul'taty endoskopicheskoy khirurgii rubtsovykh stenozov gortani u detey.

Laryngeal scars were removed in 183 children 3 months to 15 years of age. A total of 538 endoscopic CO2-laser operations were made. Stents were inserted in 22 cases. Good and satisfactory follow up (1-8 years) results were obtained in 78 patients, unsatisfactory outcomes were recorded in 34 patients. Long-term results demonstrate that CO2-laser surgery of laryngostenosis is safe for children of different ages in that it does not hinder adequate development of the larynx.

[Etiology and treatment results of laryngeal and tracheal stenosis]. / Etiologiia i rezultaty lecheniia bolnykh stenozami gortani i trakhei.

The paper provides results of examinations and surgical treatment in 190 patients with laryngeal and tracheal stenosis of different origin. The most favourable results were obtained in patients with postresuscitation stenosis, middle paralysis, posttraumatic stenosis: up to 75%, 71% and 55% of the responders, respectively. The canule remains for life in 20% of the surgical patients, because they have severe laryngeal and tracheal deformities associated with other affections.

Multiple costal cartilage graft reconstruction for the treatment of a full-length laryngotracheal stenosis after an inhalation burn.

After suffering an inhalation burn, a 22-year-old male was intubated for seven days. Full-length massive scar formation in the upper airway necessitated tracheostomy five months later. After this, the stenosis became complete in the cricoid region, and a long cannula was needed to maintain the severely damaged middle-distal trachea. After unsuccessful laser dilatation, the more stenotic 3 cm distal tracheal segment was resected, but two months later the stenosis recurred. As resection was ineffective, tracheoplasty was performed via a right-sided thoracotomy; the re-stenotized trachea was incised in length and successfully extended with 5 cm long, oval-shaped rib cartilage. Three months later, the complete cricotracheal stenosis was fixed by combined laryngofissure and cricoid laminotomy with two 6 cm×2.5 cm cartilage pieces sutured into the incisions. The middle portion of the trachea was expanded with a similar graft inserted into the anterior wall below the tracheostomy. The fixing T-tube was removed three months later, and the patient had an adequate airway two years after the last procedure. We conclude that multiple cartilage graft reconstruction can be successful even after the development of an extremely long airway stenosis following inhalation burn injury.