title: Laryngotracheal separation procedure for elderly patients.
abstract: A procedure for laryngotracheal separation was performed on 5 elderly patients in poor general condition to prevent habitual aspiration pneumonia. Intractable aspiration was relieved in all the patients with no major postoperative complications. In this intervention, a modification of the procedure previously reported, the anterior part of the tracheal and cricoid cartilage was removed, and the subglottic mucosa was sutured to fashion a blind pouch. This procedure could be adjusted even in cases of severe laryngoptosis or after high tracheostomy. Laryngotracheal separation is likely to be useful as a simple and safe procedure even for older patients. If this comes to be, it will serve as a valuable intervention in today's aging society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tokyo Metropolitan Fuchu Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. Quentaw@aol.com
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Muneo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakaya
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyano
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome