Thyroid alar cartilage laryngotracheal reconstruction for severe pediatric subglottic stenosis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Laryngotracheoplasty has become an accepted treatment alternative for subglottic stenosis. However, the best autogenous material for laryngotracheoplasty remains controversial. Autogenous superior thyroid alar cartilage (TAC) has been used successfully in single stage laryngotracheal reconstruction in children with subglottic stenosis.

METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 6 children (mean age, 16.6 months) undergoing TAC graft laryngotracheoplasty between September 1995, and June 1999. Two children had immediate tracheal intubation for congenital subglottic stenosis. Four others had previous tracheostomy: 3 for severe postintubation subglottic stenosis and 1 for congenital subglottic stenosis. After an anterior cricoid split, a piece of TAC was sutured between the cut ends of the cricoid, with the graft perichondrium facing intraluminally. Endotracheal intubation was maintained postoperatively.

RESULTS: Four children underwent successfully extubation 9 to 21 days (mean, 15.5 days) postoperatively. Two required tracheostomy, which was maintained because of severe laryngomalacia and laryngotracheobronchomalacia. One child was treated with CO2 laser because of symptomatic recurrence of the subglottic stenosis 3 weeks after the surgery; another required fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux 12 months after laryngotracheoplasty. There were no donor site complications in any of the 6 cases. Repeat laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy showed a patent subglottic airway. All of them are without symptoms after a mean follow-up of 26 months.

CONCLUSIONS: (1) This preliminary experience indicates that the TAC graft technique is a viable option for laryngotracheal reconstruction; (2) the TAC graft has significant advantages, including a single operative incision and absence of donor-site morbidity.