A novel laryngeal stent in the treatment of subglottic stenosis in children.

We present a 3-year-old, preterm, male patient, who suffered bronchopulmonary dysplasia and was tracheostomised, giving rise to Cotton grade III subglottic stenosis (SS) secondary to prolonged intubation, which was subsequently treated by laryngotracheofissure with a posterior cricoid split and interposition of anterior costal cartilage and placement of a new suprastomal stent (Fig. 1). The laryngeal stent employed was created from a number 8 T-shaped tube. After measuring the distance from the anterior commissure to the superior margin of the tracheal stoma, we cut the internal branch to the correct length, separating it from the rest of the T tube. The proximal and distal ends were covered with rounded silicone seals. The stent was placed in a suprastomal position by the laryngofissure and fixed by a double transfixing point at the level of the cricoid cartilage with a support of silicone buttons in the subcutaneous tissue of the neck. The correct position was confirmed by observation through the tracheal stoma and also orally (Fig. 2).