[Paediatric Airway Surgery - Indications and Techniques]. / Pädiatrische Atemwegschirurgie: Indikationen und Techniken.

ABSTRACT

Even in specialised centres, surgical procedures on the airway are only rarely performed in paediatric patients. Moreover, knowledge of various specific anatomical characteristics, diseases and surgical techniques is a prerequisite to treat these patients. Most commonly, sequelae of long-term intubation or tracheostomy in multimorbid patients necessitate surgical repair. Moreover, congenital malformations of the airways might require surgical interventions. However, these are commonly associated with other organ malformations, which adds further complexity to the treatment concept. Thus, cooperation within an interdisciplinary team is absolutely necessary to treat these patients. However, good postoperative outcomes after paediatric airway surgery can be achieved in experienced centres with an appropriate infrastructure. Specifically, this means long-term tracheostomy-free survival with preserved laryngeal functions in most of the patients. This review provides a summary of common indications and surgical techniques in paediatric airway surgery.