Tracheomalacia In Patients Research Articles

Tracheomalacia in patients undergoing thyroid surgery—What is the true estimate: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

AbstractObjectivesTracheomalacia is defined as the weakening of the tracheal rings secondary to long‐standing compression or inherent structural weakness, leading to stridor and airway compromise. The common etiological factor of tracheomalacia includes compression of the tracheal framework due to a large multinodular goiter. There are various management techniques described in the literature to manage a patient with tracheomalacia including tracheostomy, tracheal stenting, and tracheopexy. However, the evidence of tracheomalacia in the literature is conflicting. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to estimate the incidence of tracheomalacia after thyroidectomy.MethodsThe systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library, and Elton B. Stephens Co. cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature plus to determine the incidence of tracheomalacia among patients undergoing thyroidectomy up till October 2021. The eligibility was assessed by two independent authors. A quality assessment of individual studies was performed using the National Institute of Health quality assessment tool. Outcomes were double data extracted and were analyzed using OpenMeta.ResultsThe online search retrieved 214 papers, out of which 17 studies were included that fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The number of patients included in the systematic review who underwent thyroidectomy was 1108. The mean age was 55.8 ± 7.7 years, ranging from 48 to 75 years. Tracheomalacia was reported in 146 patients (1.4%). Sternotomy was performed in 102 patients to approach the goiters with retrosternal extension. The most common intervention to manage tracheomalacia was tracheostomy or prolonged intubation.ConclusionsTracheomalacia is a rare complication. In cases where tracheomalacia is encountered, common methods of management include tracheostomy or prolonged endotracheal intubation. Prospective, long‐term studies are required to accurately assess its true incidence and associated factors.

Frequency and Risk Factors of Tracheomalacia in Patients Undergoing Thyroidectomy.

It was a descriptive cross-sectional study to determine the frequency and risk factors of tracheomalacia in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. One hundred and forty-nine patients underwent thyroidectomy at MTI-Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar between 1st January 2021 and 1st March 2022. The frequency of post-thyroidectomy tracheomalacia and possible associated factors were determined. The inclusion criteria were patients of either gender, between 18 to 70 years fulfilling criteria of clinically diagnosed cases of thyroid disorders who underwent subtotal, hemi, near or total thyroidectomy for their respective thyroid diseases. Post-thyroidectomy tracheomalacia was recorded in 18 patients (12.1%): Seventeen patients were aged less than 30 (p-value 0.038) and 14 (77.8%) patients had a duration of surgery > three hours (p-value <0.001). Young female patients with multinodular goitre who had a longer duration of surgery developed post-thyroidectomy tracheomalacia more frequently. Hence, the incidence of post-thyroidectomy tracheomalacia can be markedly reduced with proper preoperative assessment and postoperative measures. Key Words: Thyroid gland, Thyroid disorders, Tracheomalacia, Thyroidectomy.

Disruption of a hedgehog-foxf1-rspo2 signaling axis leads to tracheomalacia and a loss of sox9+ tracheal chondrocytes.

ABSTRACTCongenital tracheomalacia, resulting from incomplete tracheal cartilage development, is a relatively common birth defect that severely impairs breathing in neonates. Mutations in the Hedgehog (HH) pathway and downstream Gli transcription factors are associated with tracheomalacia in patients and mouse models; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Using multiple HH/Gli mouse mutants, including one that mimics Pallister–Hall Syndrome, we show that excessive Gli repressor activity prevents specification of tracheal chondrocytes. Lineage-tracing experiments show that Sox9+ chondrocytes arise from HH-responsive splanchnic mesoderm in the fetal foregut that expresses the transcription factor Foxf1. Disrupted HH/Gli signaling results in (1) loss of Foxf1, which in turn is required to support Sox9+ chondrocyte progenitors, and (2) a dramatic reduction in Rspo2, a secreted ligand that potentiates Wnt signaling known to be required for chondrogenesis. These results reveal an HH-Foxf1-Rspo2 signaling axis that governs tracheal cartilage development and informs the etiology of tracheomalacia.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

DOZ047.49: Tracheoscopic findings and their impact on respiratory symptoms in children with esophageal atresia

Introduction Esophageal atresia is often accompanied by tracheobronchial malformations leading to stridor, recurrent bronchitis and occasionally to life threatening obstructive apnea after surgical repair. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of tracheomalacia in patients with esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF) pre- and postoperatively and to find endoscopic correlates leading to clinical airway symptoms. Methods In a cohort of 362 patients with EA-TEF who underwent 595 tracheoscopies at the Children's Hospital of Cologne between January 1983 and December 2002, impaired tracheal lumen, localization of TEF, tracheal pulsations and corresponding clinical symptoms were retrospectively analyzed. Results The incidence of tracheomalacia was higher in patients with EA and TEF (Gross B, C, D) compared to patients with EA alone (Gross A) and average tracheal collapse does not significantly change before and after surgical repair of the esophagus in all types. Patients with cyanosis while eating and obstructive apnea presented with an average tracheal collapse of 89%. Presence of respiratory symptoms like cough, stridor or bronchitis was not associated with a higher grade of tracheal collapse compared to patients without any airway symptoms (average tracheal collapse of 37% in symptomatic patients vs. 33% in non-symptomatic patients). Conclusion Tracheomalacia tends to be present independently of surgical procedure. Tracheomalacia should be measured by tracheoscopy (in % of tracheal collapse). Patients with a tracheal collapse of &gt; 80%, a ventral pulsation and obstructive apnea or cyanosis in combination, are at risk for life threatening situations.

Tracheoscopic Findings and Their Impact on Respiratory Symptoms in Children with Esophageal Atresia.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is often accompanied by tracheobronchial malformations leading to stridor, recurrent bronchitis, and occasionally to life-threatening obstructive apnea after surgical repair. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of tracheomalacia in patients with EA and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) pre- and postoperatively and to find endoscopic correlates leading to clinical airway symptoms. In a cohort of 362 patients with EA-TEF who underwent 595 tracheoscopies at the Children's Hospital of Cologne between January 1983 and December 2002, impaired tracheal lumen, localization of TEF, tracheal pulsations, and corresponding clinical symptoms were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of tracheomalacia was higher in patients with EA and TEF (Gross B-D) compared with patients with EA alone (Gross A) and average tracheal collapse does not significantly change before and after surgical repair of the esophagus in all types. Patients with cyanosis while eating and obstructive apnea presented with an average tracheal collapse of 89%. The presence of respiratory symptoms such as cough, stridor, or bronchitis was not associated with a higher grade of tracheal collapse compared with patients without any airway symptoms (average tracheal collapse of 37% in symptomatic patients vs. 33% in nonsymptomatic patients). Tracheomalacia tends to be present independently of surgical procedure. Tracheomalacia should be measured by tracheoscopy (in % of tracheal collapse). Patients with a tracheal collapse of >80%, a ventral pulsation, and obstructive apnea or cyanosis in combination, are at risk for life-threatening situations and further surgical treatment should be considered.

Successful Management of Acquired Tracheomalacia of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Report of Three Cases.

Tracheomalacia is characterized by weakness of the tracheal walls and supporting cartilage. It results in dynamic compression of the airway, where the cross-sectional area of the trachea is reduced by expiratory compression. Acquired tracheomalacia results from complications associated with the use of endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes. In this report, we present three cases of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) successfully treated for tracheomalacia, including one case where the patient underwent surgery for combined tracheoesophageal fistula. We discuss the appropriate management strategies for tracheomalacia in patients with ALS. Through these case reports, we note the results of ALS patients who will have tracheostomy, and who are therefore at risk of sustaining a long term high cuff pressure, this study provides an evaluation for tracheomalacia and therapeutic management which should be considered for improving patient care outcomes.

Diagnosis and treatment of acquired tracheomalacia in patients with cicatrical tracheal stenosis

Diagnosis and treatment of acquired tracheomalacia in patients with cicatrical tracheal stenosis

重症心身障害児（者）における気管軟化症の臨床的検討

重症心身障害児（者）における気管軟化症の臨床的検討

The outcome of conservative treatment for anastomotic leakage after surgical repair of esophageal atresia

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of conservative management of anastomotic leakage (AL) after surgical repair for esophageal atresia. Methods Data from 85 neonates with esophageal atresia who underwent surgical correction were retrospectively analyzed. Conservative treatment had been adopted for AL. The incidence and severity of postoperative AL as well as its effects were analyzed. Results Among the 85 neonates, postoperative AL occurred in 21 (25%) cases, with major leaks in 15 cases and minor leaks in 6. The stricture index of the 21 neonates with AL (0.615 ± 0.032) was significantly different ( P = .008) from that of the 64 neonates without leakage (0.509 ± 0.018). The overall incidence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was 36%. Esophageal dysmotility and clinically significant tracheomalacia were observed in 69 and 7 infants, respectively, of the 80 surviving patients. The incidence of GER, dysmotility, and tracheomalacia in patients with or without AL was similar. The severity of GER in patients with different numbers of sessions of dilation was significantly different ( P = .0015). Conclusions Postoperative esophageal AL is effectively treatable by conservative methods in most neonates. The occurrence of AL may aggravate the severity of esophageal stricture but does not affect the incidence of GER, esophageal dysmotility, and tracheomalacia.

S265 – Tracheostomy in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Objectives To characterize pediatric patients undergoing tracheotomy for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). To examine the effects of tracheomalacia on tracheostomy outcomes in these patients. Methods The medical records of 95 patients with BPD who underwent tracheotomy in an academic tertiary care children's hospital over 8 years were evaluated for gestational age, birthweight, ethnicity, gender, co-morbid conditions, duration of ventilator support, duration of hospitalization, number of failed extubation attempts before tracheotomy, age at tracheotomy, and time to decannulation. Results The average gestational age was 28.9 weeks and the average postnatal age at tracheotomy was 27.6 weeks after having failed an average of 1.2 extubation attempts. The patients averaged 268.2 days of hospitalization, with 41.6% still requiring ventilator support and 57.1% still having tracheostomy at the end of the study. Of 27 patients with tracheomalacia, 4 (15%) were eventually decannulated vs. 36 of 68 patients without tracheomalacia (53%). The average time to decannulation among patients with tracheomalacia was 27.4 months and without tracheomalacia was 25.7 months. Decreased gestational age correlated with increased time to decannulation (Cox regression analysis, p=0.035). Of patients with genetic anomalies, 22.7% were eventually decannulated vs. 49.3% of patients without genetic anomalies (p = 0.027). Conclusions This study describes the characteristics of patients undergoing tracheotomy for BPD and begins to clarify the relationship between BPD and tracheomalacia. The presence of tracheomalacia in patients with BPD correlates with decreased likelihood of decannulation, but does not significantly affect time to decannulation. As such, tracheomalacia may be an independent risk factor for worse tracheostomy prognosis.

The absence of clinically significant tracheomalacia in patients having esophageal atresia without tracheoesophageal fistula

The association of tracheomalacia (TM) with esophageal atresia (EA) has been well described. This study attempted to find a correlation between the severity of TM and the presence or absence of an associated tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) in patients with EA. A review of all patients presenting at this institution with EA through the years 1970 to 1990 was carried out. Six patients with EA without fistula (type A) and 61 patients having EA with fistula (types B, C, D, and E) were analyzed. Five of the six type A patients required esophageal dilatations and antireflux procedures; none had clinically significant TM. Thirty-five of the 61 patients with fistula required esophageal dilatation, and 8 had an antireflux procedure; 11 (18%) required either long-tube tracheostomy or aortopexy for TM. This small study supports a recent hypothesis of different embryological events resulting in different types of esophageal and tracheal anomalies. When EA occurs without fistula, it appears that no significant alteration in tracheal development occurs.