Balloon dilation laryngoplasty for subglottic stenosis in children: eight years' experience.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate outcomes of balloon dilation laryngoplasty for laryngeal stenosis in children. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Academic tertiary care department of pediatric otolaryngology. PATIENTS All children treated with laryngeal balloon dilation (primarily or secondarily following laryngeal surgery) from 2002 to 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Stenosis severity, measured using the Cotton and Myer classification. RESULTS A total of 44 children ranging in age from 1 month to 10 years (14 [32%] with grade II stenosis, 25 [59%] with grade III stenosis, and 4 [9%] with grade IV stenosis) were included. Twelve children [27%] had congenital laryngeal stenoses, and the in other 32 [7 3%], stenosis was acquired. A total of 52 balloon dilation laryngoplasties were performed, and 37 (71%) were deemed successful. Twenty of the 31 patients undergoing primary dilation (65%) had successful outcomes, and in the other 11 [35%], outcomes were unsuccessful (4 had grade II stenosis and 7 had grade III stenosis) and required either laryngotracheal reconstruction or tracheotomy. Twenty-one balloon dilations were performed as a secondary procedure after recent open surgery; 17 of the procedures (81%) were successful, and thus surgical revision was avoided. CONCLUSION Balloon dilation laryngoplasty is an efficient and safe technique for the treatment of both primary and secondary pediatric laryngotracheal stenosis.