Long-term T-tube stenting as definitive treatment of severe acquired subglottic stenosis in children.
OBJECTIVE
We analyzed our results of long-term T-tube stenting for severe acquired subglottic stenosis secondary to prolonged endotracheal intubation in a neonatal period.


METHODS
Twenty children treated with T-tube stenting since 1999 were retrospectively analyzed. T-tube stenting consisted of anterior cricoid split and placing silicon T-tube as a stent for expanded subglottic lumen.


RESULTS
Fourteen of 20 patients were treated as an initial operation and 6 patients as an additional operation after other failed procedures. Decannulation was achieved in 8 (57.1%) of 14 children in the initial operation group and in 4 (66.7%) of 6 patients in the additional operation group. The average duration of T-tube stenting was 16.1 months in the initial group and 65.8 months in the additional group. Four of 20 patients continued to require T-tube stenting. In the other 4 patients, T-tubes were switched to tracheostomy tubes. The voice quality improved gradually after decannulation.


CONCLUSIONS
T-tube stenting for severe acquired subglottic stenosis is recommended as a best available treatment in postoperative quality of life. T-tube stenting should be performed as the initial treatment because the time to decannulation was shorter than as an additional operation.
Zaima
Azusa
A
Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine. azusa@tf6.so-net.ne.jp
Bitoh
Yuko
Y
Morita
Keiichi
K
Tsugawa
Jiro
J
Ishii
Tomohiro
T
Satoh
Shiiki
S
Nishijima
Eiji
E
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012825:Silicon; D015607:Stents; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012825:Silicon