Open Expansion Laryngoplasty for Combined Glottic and Subglottic Stenosis.

Expansion laryngoplasty is a new, combined procedure which can treat both glottic and subglottic stenosis simulataneously. This is a small case series showing how to perform this surgery as well as outcomes from a 15-year period. Laryngoscope, 2024.

A Novel Hybrid Procedure Combining Resection and Tracheoplasty for Complex Laryngotracheal Stenosis.

Adult airway stenosis is a common condition treated in the otolaryngology clinic. Patients with high-grade, long-segment stenosis often fail endoscopic management. We describe the successful use of a hybrid resection and laryngotracheoplasty procedure that maximizes airway luminal patency in adults with successful decannulation. Laryngoscope, 2024.

Surgical Outcomes by Early Airway Endoscopy Findings after Pediatric Staged Laryngotracheoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how initial postoperative airway endoscopy findings after stent removal predict successful decannulation in children undergoing double-staged laryngotracheoplasty (dsLTP). Secondary objectives assessed timing of decannulation and number of endoscopic interventions needed after dsLTP. METHODS: A case series with chart review included children who underwent dsLTP at a tertiary children's hospital between 2008 and 2021. Rates of decannulation, time to decannulation, and number of interventions after dsLTP were recorded for children with high- or low-grade stenosis at the first bronchoscopy after stent removal. RESULTS: Of the 65 children who were included, 88% had high-grade stenosis and 98% had a preoperative tracheostomy. Successful decannulation happened in 74% of the children, and 44% of the children were decannulated within 12 months of surgery. For children with low-grade stenosis at the first endoscopy after stent removal, 84% were successfully decannulated compared with 36% of the children with high-grade stenosis (p = 0.001). After dsLTP, children with high-grade stenosis required 7.5 interventions (SD: 3.3) compared with 4.0 interventions (SD: 3.0) for children with low-grade stenosis (p < 0.001). Decannulated children with high-grade stenosis necessitated more endoscopic procedures (7.0 vs. 3.7, p = 0.02). Time to decannulation was similar between children with high- and low-grade early postoperative stenosis (21.9 vs. 17.8 months, p = 0.63). CONCLUSIONS: Higher grade stenosis identified on the first airway endoscopy after suprastomal stent removal is correlated with lower decannulation rates and more postoperative endoscopic interventions. Although time to decannulation was not impacted by early stenosis grade, surgeons might utilize these early airway findings to counsel families and prognosticate possible surgical success. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:963-967, 2024.

Single stage pediatric airway reconstruction in solid organ transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVES: To describe results of single stage laryngotracheal reconstruction (ssLTR) in patients with solid organ transplants and to discuss modifications which need to be considered in this subset of patients pre-operatively, intra-operatively and post-operatively. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective case series review of children undergoing single stage laryngotracheal reconstruction in the context of prior solid organ transplant. SETTING: A tertiary care academic setting. METHODS: Pediatric cases undergoing Laryngotracheal reconstruction over a 3-year period. Demographic data including age, sex, presenting symptoms, operative details. RESULTS: Two cases of ssLTR in solid organ transplant patients were found, one each with renal and cardiac transplants respectively. Both patients successfully underwent ssLTR for Grade 2 subglottic stenosis. The care of these patients was multidisciplinary and required alterations in their preoperative prophylactic antibiotics. While they did not require changes to the LTR post-operative sedation protocol, their immunosuppressant doses and target ranges were lowered. Special care was taken to avoid nephrotoxic and cardiotoxic medications throughout their hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Although traditionally considered for double stage laryngotracheal reconstruction, single stage laryngotracheal reconstruction is a viable option in patients with solid organ transplant. These patients require a multidisciplinary approach and pharmacological protocol alterations pre-, intra-, and post-operatively.

Congenital High Airway Obstructive Syndrome (CHAOS) Survival of a Newborn with Laryngeal Atresia.

Congenital high airway obstructive syndrome (CHAOS) is a rare congenital anomaly, frequently caused by laryngeal or tracheal atresia, tracheal stenosis, and obstructing laryngeal cysts. This is a congenital malformation, often fatal, with an unknown prevalence. Laryngeal atresia is the most frequent cause. We report a case of an intrauterine diagnosis of CHAOS and ascites in a 17-week fetus delivered at 38 weeks of gestation without other associated malformations. A fetoscopic procedure was performed at 22 weeks of gestation. An attempt was made to perforate the affected area to ensure pulmonary fluid circulation and the ascites' resolution. After birth, a tracheostomy was performed. The patient was mechanically ventilated until 11 months of age, when she was discharged with no cerebral or other complications of immediate postnatal anoxia or episodes of respiratory arrest. A laryngotracheoplasty was performed at 2 years old, but decannulation was not possible due to certain complications. At 5 years old, a new surgical intervention was performed, which allowed decannulation 6 months later.

Nasal Septal Cartilage as Anterior Cap-Graft for Open Tracheoplasty in Cases for Laryngotracheal Stenosis: Our Initial Experience.

The aim of our study is to analyze the efficacy of nasal septal cartilage as cap-graft in laryngo-tracheoplasty in cases of Laryngotracheal stenosis. This was a prospective observational study carried out at a tertiary care hospital from March 2020 to March 2023. Total 8 patients who underwent laryngo-tracheoplasty using nasal septal cartilage as anterior Cap-graft were included in the study. Detailed history and clinical evaluation followed by diagnostic Flexible Fiber-optic Laryngoscopy and radiological investigations were done for all patients with post operative follow up for at least 1 year. Our study had maximum patients in age group of 11-30 years with male predominance, unknown compound ingestion being most common cause of intubation which was followed by tracheostomy. All patients had Cotton Mayer Grade III or IV subglottic stenosis. Out of 8 patients, 5 patients are decannulated, 1 patients still have T-tube in-situ whereas 2 patients didn't tolerate decannulation and required re-exploration. No donor site complication was seen during the study period. Nasal septal cartilage is a viable option for being used as anterior cap graft in laryngo-tracheoplasty. It can be a game changer, as can be done by E.N.T surgeon himself. No separate learning skills are required. It's cosmetically better with minimal complications; compared to life threatening complications like pneumothorax on using costal cartilage. Laryngeal framework is preserved as opposed to thyroid alar cartilage graft. Faster healing along with better postoperative donor site recovery are significant advantages.

Revision Endoscopic Posterior Costal Cartilage Grafting: Is It Feasible?

The objective of this work is to examine the feasibility of revision endoscopic posterior costal cartilage graft (EPCCG) placement for posterior glottic stenosis (PGS) and bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI). Revision and primary cases were compared with respect to decannulation rates, and it was hypothesized that there would be no difference in outcomes. Twenty-one patients met inclusion criteria (14 primary, 7 revision). Thirteen (62%) had a primary indication of PGS, and 8 (42%) were for BVFI. There were no differences between revision and primary groups with respect to age, gender, or comorbidities (p > .05). There was no difference between groups with respect to decannulation rate (85% primary vs 100% revision, p = .32). Thus, revision EPCCG appears to have comparable results to primary EPCCG with respect to decannulation rate and time to decannulation. EPCCG may be a feasible alternative to open airway reconstruction for PGS and BVFI in selected patients.

Update on the diagnosis and management of pediatric laryngotracheal stenosis.

INTRODUCTION: Laryngotracheal stenosis comprises a broad spectrum of congenital and acquired conditions that commonly cause pediatric airway obstruction. With the introduction and popularization of operative procedures such as laryngotracheoplasty, cricotracheal resection, and slide tracheoplasty more patients are presenting with airway issues at multiple anatomic levels. A combination of endoscopic and open techniques continues to be utilized for these complex issues. Additionally, there are specific long-term considerations for the post reconstruction patient. AREAS COVERED: This review highlights important aspects of the diagnosis, work up, and surgical treatment of pediatric laryngotracheal stenosis with updates for revision airway surgery and the post reconstruction patient. Important research articles and techniques within pediatric airway reconstruction are summarized and included in the review, in addition to recent articles from the last five years on pediatric laryngotracheal stenosis which were identified through a search of the PubMed database. EXPERT OPINION: The multidisciplinary concept of evaluation and treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis continues to be essential. Revision airway surgery presents unique challenges to improve the quality of life of patients as they age after reconstruction. Tracheal transplantation remains an important research area in the treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis.

Treatment of Childhood High-Grade Subglottic Stenosis (SGS) Through Laryngotracheoplasty (LTP) in a Tertiary Pediatric Center from 2013 to 2020.

Laryngotracheal reconstruction is the most common and effective treatment in childhood subglottic stenosis (SGS). Our aim is to review the success rate of laryngotracheoplasty (LTP) in pediatric high grade SGS cases in our tertiary center. The retrospective review was conducted on children with high grade subglottic stenosis who had undergone laryngotracheoplasty over a 7-year period (2013-2020) in tertiary pediatric care. A total of 20 patients who had history of high grade SGS during the stipulated period were included. All of them had undergone LTP. Decannulation was considered the primary outcome measure of success. Surveillance bronchoscopy was performed one year post airway reconstruction to detect residual stenosis. From January 2013 to December 2020, 20 patients aged between 1 and 16 years old underwent LTP. Among them, 10 patients (50%) had Grade III SGS while 5 had Grade III SGS with glottis stenosis (25%). The remaining 5 (25%) had severe Grade IV stenosis. Decannulation was achieved in 14 patients overall (70%) including 1 with revision. These 14 patients who achieved decannulation included 7 out of the 10 patients (70%) with Grade III, 2 out of the 5 (40%) patients with Grade III with glottic involvement, and 4 out of the 5 patients (80%) with Grade IV SGS. Fifteen (80%) patients had double stage LTP while 5 patients had single stage LTP. The study suggests that LTP is a promising approach in the treatment of Complex SGS. Furthermore, pediatric SGS, which is inherently complicated, can be treated with LTP effectively.

Long-term results of slide laryngotracheoplasty for congenital subglottic stenosis in newborns and infants.

OBJECTIVES: Slide laryngotracheoplasty is an effective, single-step procedure without tracheostomy and stenting for treating high-grade congenital subglottic stenosis in neonates and infants. Long-term outcomes were evaluated to assess the reliability of the procedure performed in this age of rapid development of the laryngeal structures. METHODS: We report five children who underwent slide laryngotracheoplasty before the age of 4 months, each with >3 years follow-up. Increases of length and bodyweight were systematically assessed. Breathing, swallowing, voice, and overall satisfaction was assessed by a quality of life questionnaire. Voice quality was objectively evaluated by measuring shimmer, jitter, fundamental frequency, and the harmonics-to-noise ratio. RESULTS: All patients had a stable and adequate airway during follow-up without any additional open airway surgery. The patients' voices were physiological, and the intervention had no negative impact on speech development. Swallowing function was optimally retained, and the patients' bodyweight gain and length were satisfactory. During at least 3 years of observation, the anastomosis remained stable and grew dynamically with the patient. CONCLUSIONS: Slide laryngotracheoplasty (as a single-step procedure) provides an adequate airway without tracheostomy, grafting, or stenting with good long-term functional results in selected neonates and infants with congenital subglottic stenosis.

Predicting Maximal Costal Cartilage Graft Size for Laryngotracheal Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Current methods of assessing rib cartilage dimensions for laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) are inexact, making surgical planning difficult. The purpose of this study was to determine the most appropriate rib for costal cartilage graft LTR to minimize the number of ribs harvested and improve surgical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. METHODS: Computed tomography imaging of chest scans in 25 children aged 1 to 18 years was evaluated. The lengths and widths of medial and lateral cartilaginous segments of ribs 4 to 7 were measured bilaterally. Right and left cartilaginous rib dimensions were compared using a two-sample t-test. Linear mixed-effect regression was performed to develop models quantifying the relationship between rib size and patient height, rib side, and rib number. RESULTS: Regression analysis established strong models for medial rib length (R2  = 0.89) and for medial and lateral rib width (R2  = 0.71, 0.77, respectively). There was no difference in rib dimensions across chest sides. Rib length and width increased with child height. Total cartilaginous rib length increased from superiorly to inferiorly, primarily due to an increase in the dimensions of the medial portion of each rib. CONCLUSION: Cartilaginous rib lengths and widths were associated with patient height, with taller children having longer ribs. Inferior ribs were longer than superior ribs, suggesting that inferior ribs may be preferred for LTR. There was no difference in cartilaginous rib length across chest side. Results may help surgeons with preoperative planning. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 132:1682-1686, 2022.

Endoscopic Resection and Mucosal Reconstitution With Epidermal Grafting: A Pilot Study in Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe technical aspects and surgical outcomes of endoscopic resection and mucosal reconstitution with epidermal grafting (ie, the Maddern procedure) in the treatment of idiopathic subglottic stenosis. STUDY DESIGN: Medical record abstraction. SETTING: Johns Hopkins Hospital. METHODS: Retrospective series of 9 adults with idiopathic subglottic stenosis who underwent the Maddern procedure by a single surgeon over a 5-year period. Prespecified outcomes included (1) perioperative outcomes (Clavien-Dindo grade 4/5 complications, need for staged tracheostomy, hospital length of stay), (2) postoperative outcomes (peak expiratory flow rate [PEFR], need for subsequent airway surgery, tracheostomy at follow-up), and (3) patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes (Clinical COPD Questionnaire, Voice Handicap Index-10, Eating Assessment Tool-10, and 12-Item Short Form Version 2). Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test and Kaplan-Meier analysis were performed. RESULTS: There were no Clavien-Dindo grade 4/5 complications; 2 patients required unplanned staged tracheostomy; and the median length of stay was 3 days. Following endoscopic resection and stent removal, a median of 2 laser resurfacing procedures were required. Two patients developed recurrent stenosis requiring cricotracheal resection (CTR). There were significant improvements in PEFR, Clinical COPD Questionnaire, and Voice Handicap Index-10, without significant difference in Eating Assessment Tool-10. The 12-Item Short Form Version 2 approximated the population norm. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significant improvement in time to surgery after the final laser resurfacing. CONCLUSION: The Maddern procedure has a low complication rate and offers durable physiologic improvement in PEFR, limiting need for additional procedures. Risks included need for CTR salvage, temporary tracheostomy, phlegm accumulation, and laryngospasm. It is a surgical option for patients with short dilation intervals who prefer to avoid the risks of CTR.

Innovative surgical solutions for laryngeal stenoses in newborns and infants / Laryngealis szukületek innovatív sebészi megoldásai újszülött- és csecsemokorban.

Összefoglaló. A veleszületett légúti szukületek gyakran kombináltan jelentkeznek, és más szervrendszert is érinto kísérobetegségekkel, illetve malformációkkal is társulhatnak. Figyelembe véve ezeket a tényezoket, illetve a csecsemokori légút speciális anatómiáját és sérülékeny szöveteit, a felso légúti szukületek sebészi kezelése újszülött- és csecsemokorban igen nagy kihívást jelento feladat, melynek célja a mihamarabbi definitív, stabil légút biztosítása a hangképzés és a nyelési funkció megorzésével. A laryngomalacia, a hangszalagbénulás és a subglotticus stenosis együttesen a gége veleszületett rendellenességeinek megközelítoleg 90%-áért felelos. A szerzok erre a három kórképre fókuszálva egy-egy eset kapcsán bemutatják a Szegedi Tudományegyetem Fül-Orr-Gégészeti és Fej-Nyaksebészeti Klinikáján muködo légútsebészeti munkacsoport által rutinszeruen alkalmazott innovatív sebészi módszereket. A bemutatott sebészeti megoldások egy lépésben, tracheostoma, sztentelés és graft beültetése nélkül azonnali stabil légutat biztosítanak jó hangminoséggel és nyelési funkcióval a supraglottis, a glottis és a subglottis dinamikus és statikus szukületei esetén egyaránt. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(52): 2100-2106. Summary. Congenital airway stenoses occur frequently in combinations or may be associated with comorbidities and malformations affecting other organ systems. Considering these factors as well as the special anatomy and vulnerable tissues of the pediatric airway, surgical treatment in neonates and infants is an extremely challenging task. The ultimate goal of the management is to ensure a definitive and adequate airway as soon as possible with the preservation of voice and swallowing. Laryngomalacia, vocal cord palsy and subglottic stenosis together account for approximately 90% of congenital laryngeal disorders. Focusing on these three diseases, the authors - the airway surgery working group at the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Szeged, Hungary - present their routinely applied innovative surgical strategies in connection with three cases. The presented 'one-step' surgical solutions provide immediate stable airway with good voice quality and swallowing function without tracheostomy, stenting, or graft implantation for both dynamic and static stenoses of the supraglottis, glottis, and subglottis. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(52): 2100-2106.

[Perioperative period management of laryngotracheoplasty using anterior cricoid split procedure with free hyoid grafting].

Objective:To review the key points of the perioperative period management of laryngotracheoplasty using free hyoid grafting in children with acquired subglottic stenosis, in order to reduce postoperative complications, to improve extubation rate, and to promote the rehabilitation of the patients. Methods:Twenty-five cases with subglottic stenosis were treated by laryngotracheoplasty using free hyoid grafting in department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Children's Hospital from September 2017 to June 2021. Standardized perioperative period management protocols were carried out in all 25 cases. Results:21 cases were successfully extubated, T tubes of 2 cases were replaced by tracheal tubes which have been sealed, but tracheal tubes sealing was failed in 2 cases after tube replacement. Conclusion:High quality perioperative period management of laryngotracheoplasty using free hyoid grafting can effectively reduce related complication rate, maintain airway patency, promote laryngeal function recovery, shorten the period of tracheotomy and improve the quality of life.

Airway and Swallowing Outcomes Following Laryngotracheoplasty With Posterior Grafting in Children.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Evaluate swallowing and airway outcomes following laryngotracheoplasty with posterior grafting (LTP PCCG). METHODS: Retrospective review of pediatric patients undergoing LTP PCCG from 2016 to 2019 at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. We included demographics, indications, approach, and revision status. We evaluated preoperative and postoperative instrumental and functional swallow evaluations, and we also gathered information on airway outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were included in the study. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 4.0 (2.0, 7.0) years old. Primary indication for surgery was bilateral vocal cord immobility (BVCI) in 11 (35.5%) and posterior glottic stenosis (PGS) in 20 (64.5%). Mean (standard deviation) length of follow-up was 11.0 (8.3) months. Twelve patients had gastrostomy tubes (GT) before surgery, and no patients required placement of GT after surgery. Of the remaining 19 patients, 6 required nasogastric feeding for >4 weeks (average length 1.8 months, longest 3.5 months). At last follow-up, 25 (80.6%) patients were primarily orally fed. Eighteen patients had tracheotomies prior to surgery. No patients without a tracheostomy required placement of tracheostomy before or after surgery and only 1 patient had a tracheostomy at last follow-up. Average time to decannulation was 3.7 months, with surgery-specific success of 87.1% and overall success of 96.8%. Four (12.9%) patients required a major intervention to achieve decannulation. CONCLUSION: LTP PCCG is an effective surgical technique to address PGS and BVCI with high decannulation rates. It may cause temporary swallowing dysfunction, but in this series a majority of children were orally fed at last follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:2798-2804, 2021.

IgG4-Related Laryngeal Disease as a Possible Cause of Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibro-inflammatory disorder. Laryngotracheal manifestation is very rare; therefore, it is usually associated with complex diagnostic and therapeutic problems. CASE REPORT: Herein, we report the case of a 35-year-old woman with idiopathic subglottic stenosis (ISGS) treated with one-step laryngotracheal reconstruction surgery. Postoperatively, the lesion was found to be a part of the IgG4-RD spectrum. Objective and subjective phoniatric tests, spirometry, and Quality of Life Questionnaire were used for the evaluation of postoperative functional results. Slide laryngotracheoplasty as a one-step surgery without stenting and tracheostomy ensured a sufficiently wide subglottic space with no adverse effect on voice quality. During a follow-up period of 22 months, endoscopy and computed tomography scan revealed no significant restenosis. The patient was able to return to premorbid activities of daily living without any further medical treatment. CONCLUSION: The laryngeal involvement of IgG4-RD is uncommon; however, it is a manifestation that should be included in the differential diagnosis of subglottic stenoses (SGS). Furthermore, subglottic IgG4-RD might be a potential etiological factor of ISGS and acquired airway stenosis after short-term intubation. Slide laryngotracheoplasty might be a favorable solution without stenting and tracheostomy even in special cases of SGS.

Barriers to Decannulation After Double-Stage Laryngotracheal Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To identify any potential barriers for decannulation in children undergoing double-staged laryngotracheal reconstruction (dsLTR) beyond the severity of disease itself. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review from 2008 to 2018 of 41 children who had undergone dsLTR as primary treatment for laryngotracheal stenosis at a stand-alone tertiary children's hospital. We examined the effect of demographic, medical, and surgical factors on successful decannulation and time to decannulation after dsLTR. RESULTS: Of the 41 children meeting inclusion criteria who underwent dsLTR, 34 (82%) were decannulated. Age, gender, race, insurance status, medical comorbidity, and multilevel stenosis did not predict overall decannulation. Insurance status did not impact time to decannulation (P = .13, Log-rank). Factors that increased length of time to decannulation were the use of anterior and posterior cartilage grafts (P = .001, Log-rank), history of pulmonary disease (P = .05, Log rank), history of cardiac disease (P = .017, Log-rank), and race/ethnicity (P = .001 Log-rank). CONCLUSION: In a cohort with a similar decannulation rates to previous dsLTR cohorts, we identified no demographic or medical factors that influenced overall decannulation. We did observe that pulmonary comorbidity, cardiac comorbidity, and race/ethnicity lengthens time to decannulation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:2141-2147, 2021.

Endoscopic Posterior Cricoid Split and Rib Graft Without Tracheostomy: Case and Literature Review.

Endoscopic posterior cricoid split and rib grafting (EPCS/RG) for the treatment of posterior laryngeal stenosis has some advantages over traditional open approaches, including improved surgical visualization and decreased morbidity. Many pediatric patients who undergo EPCS/RG have indwelling tracheostomy, which may be utilized to help manage the airway perioperatively. The role for de novo tracheostomy placement at the time of EPCS/RG is less clear. We present three cases from a tertiary children's hospital in which EPCS/RG was safely performed without tracheostomy. For patients with posterior laryngeal stenosis but without tracheostomy, EPCS/RG with endotracheal tube stenting might be a safe option. Laryngoscope, 131:E2599-E2602, 2021.

Therapeutic effectiveness of costal cartilage grafting into both anterior and posterior walls for laryngotracheal reconstruction in acquired subglottic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: We have reviewed the surgical procedures performed and outcomes for low-birth-weight infants with acquired subglottic stenosis. METHODS: The gestational age at birth, birth weight, age at Laryngotracheal reconstruction, and therapeutic outcome over the past 26 years were reviewed. Laryngotracheal reconstruction was initially performed by costochondral grafting involving only the anterior wall for the first operation, but since 2010 a costal cartilage was also inserted into the posterior wall of the cricoid cartilage using the BENSON pylorus spreader to split the cartilage. RESULTS: There were 21 patients. The mean gestational age was 29.6 weeks, the mean birth weight was 1127 g, and the first surgery was performed at a mean age of 37.0 ± 21.8 months. Extubation was possible in 11 of 21 patients (52.3%) after the first surgery and in 7 of 7 patients after re-operation. The total extubation rate reached 100% (18/18) excluding three patients (one who suffered sudden death, and two who were lost to follow-up). CONCLUSION: Sufficient dilatation of the subglottic space could not be achieved by costochondral grafting involving the anterior wall alone. The extubation rate was improved by dilatation of the posterior wall and the insertion of costal cartilage into both the anterior and posterior walls.

Synthetic Simulator for Surgical Training in Tracheostomy and Open Airway Surgery.

OBJECTIVE(S): To create and validate a synthetic simulator for teaching tracheostomy and laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) using anterior costal cartilage and thyroid ala cartilage grafts. METHODS: A late adolescent/adult neck and airway simulator was constructed based on CT scans from a cadaver and a live patient. Images were segmented to create three-dimensional printed molds from which anatomical parts were casted. To evaluate the simulator, expert otolaryngologists - head and neck surgeons performed tracheostomy and LTR using anterior costal cartilage and thyroid ala cartilage grafts on a live anesthetized porcine model (gold standard) followed by the synthetic simulator. They evaluated each model for face validity (realism and anatomical accuracy) and content validity (perceived effectiveness as a training tool) using a five-point Likert scale. For each expert, differences for each item on each simulator were compared using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests with Sidak correction. RESULTS: Nine expert faculty surgeons completed the study. Experts rated face and content validity of the synthetic simulator an overall median of 4 and 5, respectively. There was no difference in scores between the synthetic model and the live porcine model for any of the steps of any of the surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: The synthetic simulator created for this study has high face and content validity for tracheostomy and LTR with anterior costal cartilage and thyroid ala cartilage grafts and was not found to be different than the live porcine model for these procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 Laryngoscope, 131:E2378-E2386, 2021.