Dilatation and stent application in the management of posttracheostomy tracheal stenosis in children: report of two cases

Abstract

Before planning the open surgery for posttracheostomy tracheal stenosis (PTTS) in children, bronchoscopic dilatation and stent application should be considered as an alternative method in the management. Totally 6 stent and 22 dilatation procedures with bronchoscopy were evaluated in 2 patients who had PTTS following traffic accidents. In the first patient who was 11 years old, 5 stents were changed and 13 dilatations were performed in the first year; only one stent was used and 5 dilatations were performed in the second year. The stents were left for 10 days to 9 months. The intervals between the dilatations were between 10 days to 5 months. Only four dilatations with intervals of 20 days to 1 month were performed in the second patient who was 6 years old. After treatment, in the long-term follow-up of the both patients, no respiratory distress was observed, and no clinical and radiological pathologies as well.

Keywords

• tracheostomy
• tracheal stenosis
• stent
• dilatation
• child.