OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Our study evaluates the efficacy of extraluminal bioresorbable plates to treat refractory localized airway malacia in patients undergoing corrective surgery for complex multilevel laryngotracheal stenosis. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case series. METHODS Secondary malacic airway segments were characterized (severity, site, type) by a dynamic transnasal flexible laryngot...

Complex airway diseases represent a therapeutic challenge and require multidisciplinary input. Surgery remains the definitive modality. Minimally invasive endobronchial techniques have resulted in symptom control and long-term improvements. The rigid bronchoscope remains the method of choice for the treatment of both benign and malignant central airway obstruction. However, it has limited use i...

Lingual thyroid is a rare anomaly with symptoms such as upper airway obstruction, dysphagia, or hypothyroidism. However, bleeding is a very rare manifestation. This report describes a case of lingual thyroid in women with 28 weeks of amenorrhea and hematemesis, and its course of diagnosis and treatment. The pathogenesis of lingual thyroid is unknown. Although ectopic lingual thyroid is usually ...

This report presents the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-assisted surgical as a treatment of benign double tracheoesophageal fistula. The patient was a 43-year-old woman who presented the airway obstruction for 3 weeks after the esophagus metal stent implantation for the tracheoesophageal fistula 1 year ago. The airway obstruction was due to the expansion and piercing of the metal st...

Sleep apnea patients pose a challenge for surgeons, anesthesiologists, and surgical facilities as there is increased risk for anesthetic and postoperative complications. Precautions before and after surgery minimize these risks. Screening for sleep apnea should be done for all surgical patients. Safe perioperative management requires judicious use of narcotics and sedating medications, reducing...

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a potentially fatal complication of lung cancer resection surgery that occurs during the healing process of the bronchial stump. However, the vulnerability of the healed surgical wound to overlapping acquired airway destruction has not yet been determined in detail. We herein present a case of fatal BPF following Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) infection, ...

Introduction: Thesinonasal tract is an area that may be affected by various types of neoplastic lesions with more variety than what is encountered in other parts of the upper airway and food passage.   Case Report: An elderly gentleman of 65 years complained of nose block on both sides for 3 months. On examination, he had firm polypoidal masses arising from the middle me...

BACKGROUND Disturbed breathing during sleep, with episodic upper airway obstruction, is frequent after major surgery. Ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia during episodes of airway obstruction are difficult to investigate because the usual measure, that of ventilation, has been attenuated by the obstruction. We simulated the blood gas stimulus associated with obstruction to allow in...

The pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea can be explained by collapse of upper airways secondary to the negative intra-pharyngeal pressure that develops during inspiration [4]. In addition, during sleep, muscles in the mouth relax and tongue and other structures tend to fall toward the back of the mouth causing crowding in the upper airway region with more potential for upper airway obstr...