Pediatric tracheomalacia.
Tracheomalacia (TM) is defined as an increased collapsibility of the trachea due to structural anomalies of the tracheal cartilage and/or posterior membrane. Tracheomalacia has a wide range of etiologies but is most commonly present in children born with esophageal atresia and tracheal esophageal fistula. Clinical symptoms can range from minor expiratory stridor with typical barking cough to severe respiratory distress episodes to acute life-threatening events (ALTE). Although the majority of children have mild-to-moderate symptoms and will not need surgical intervention, some will need life-changing surgical treatment. This article examines the published pediatric literature on TM, discusses the details of clinical presentation, evaluation, diagnosis, and a variety of treatments.
Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgeon at Hospitals de Clinicas, Moinhos de Vento and Materno-Infantil Presidente Vargas, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Sala 600-Porto Alegre, CEP90035-903, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: fraga.jcs@gmail.com.
Jose Carlos
JC
Fraga
Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA, MA.
Russell W
RW
Jennings
Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Children's Medical Center, Washington University, Washington, DC.
Peter C W
PC
Kim
D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D056346:Sternotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery; D055090:Tracheomalacia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
Aortopexy; Bronchoscopy; External airway fixation; Tracheobronchomalacia; Tracheobronchopexy; Tracheomalacia