Airway reconstruction in pediatric burn patients.
OBJECTIVE
Reconstruction of the laryngotracheal airway in pediatric burn victims has been described anecdotally as less successful than reconstruction performed in other populations. To evaluate this clinical impression, outcomes of laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) in pediatric burn victims were compared with a randomly selected, matched control population of children receiving LTR.


METHODS
Retrospective case control study.


METHODS
The records of 34 pediatric burn victims undergoing LTR were reviewed. A control group of 48 children undergoing LTR for acquired stenosis was randomly selected from a population matched for age and grade of stenosis.


RESULTS
Decannulation rate after 1st procedure, number of open airway procedures required, and length of time after 1st procedure until decannulation were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Two deaths (both tracheostomy tube related) occurred in the burn group; 1 occurred in the control group. Two patients in the burn group and 3 patients in the control group remain tracheostomy tube dependent at least 1 year after the initial reconstructive attempt.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term outcomes of LTR in burn patients are not significantly different from outcomes of LTR in the pediatric acquired airway stenosis population.
White
David R
DR
Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Medical Center, OH 45229, USA.
Preciado
Diego A
DA
Stamper
Becky
B
Willging
J Paul
JP
Myer
Charles M
CM
Cotton
Robin T
RT
Rutter
Michael J
MJ
D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome