Tracheal reconstruction.
Between 1983 and 1990 the authors treated 193 patients with laryngo-tracheal stenoses of diverse etiology. In 119 cases the stenoses was in the trachea. In 36 the stenoses extended to the subglottic region and in 1 case the carina was involved. The surgical procedure used in the tracheal stenosis was resection of the stenotic segment followed by end to end anastomosis. In most cases up to 6 cm of trachea could be resected. Two patients required a silastic prosthesis because the length of the stenotic area, 9 and 11 cm. The patient with the carinal involvement was treated by the insertion of a long Montgomery T tube. When the lesion included the subglottic area a partial resection of the cricoid cartilage and the damaged trachea was used. Associated surgical procedures had to be performed in order to close tracheo-esophageal fistulas, 2 cases, fixation of one of the vocal cords, 9 cases. Tracheal stenoses were cured in 90% of the cases with one surgical procedure, when the stenoses extended to the subglottic region, the cure rate was only 88.6%.