Operative treatment of severe chronic traumatic laryngeal stenosis in infants up to three years old.

Abstract

Seven severe cases of traumatic chronic laryngeal stenosis in small children aged from 1 to 3 years, in which all other treatment had proved unsuccessful, were operated on according to Rethi's principle, with excision of scar and the use of an Aboulker prosthesis. The prosthesis was kept in position for 4 months. All patients have got rid of their tracheal cannulas. They have an unobstructed airway with no respiratory distress while playing and running. In most cases in which sectioning of the inter-arytenoid muscles was not necessary, the voice has become unexpectedly good. In the other cases the voice is also good but not sonant.