tracheal t-tube stent for laryngotracheal stenosis: ten year experience

introduction: the purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome following stenting over a period of 10 years in patients with chronic laryngotracheal stenosis.   materials and methods: between 2000–2010, out of 111 patients with laryngotracheal trauma, 71 underwent tracheal        t-stenting for laryngotracheal stenosis in the department of otorhinolaryngology at the government medical college and hospital, chandigarh, india. all 71 patients underwent stenting by tracheal t-stent through an external approach. the follow-up period ranged from 3–10 years (mean, 3.2 years). the tracheal t-stent was removed after a minimum period of 6–12 months.   results: the majority of patients in this study were aged less than 10 years or between the ages of 20–30 years. a pre-operative tracheostomy (emergency or elective) was performed in all patients. of 71 patients, decannulation was not possible in six (8%).   conclusion:  management of laryngotracheal stenosis is a challenging problem that demands a multidisciplinary approach from surgical teams well trained in this field. the ideal treatment option should be individualized according to patient characteristics. the use of silastic stents has both advantages and disadvantages.