Related Experiment Videos
Dental bar tracheopexy in a neonate
P A Catarino1, S Saito, S Westaby
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Oxford Heart Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom. catarino@doctors.org.uk
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
|September 22, 2001
Summary
A novel dental bar splint effectively treated tracheoesophageal compression in a neonate with double aortic arch. This innovative tracheopexy method promoted good tracheal growth without erosion up to 18 months.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Pediatric Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Double aortic arch is a congenital vascular anomaly causing tracheoesophageal compression.
- Standard management involves vascular ring division and tracheopexy for associated tracheomalacia.
Observation:
- A neonate with double aortic arch presented with significant tracheoesophageal compression.
- Tracheomalacia necessitated external support for the trachea.
Findings:
- A dental bar was utilized as an external splint for tracheopexy.
- Post-procedure follow-up to 18 months demonstrated successful tracheal growth.
- No evidence of tracheal erosion or device-related complications was observed.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential of a dental bar as a safe and effective external splint for tracheopexy in neonates.
- This approach may offer an alternative management strategy for tracheomalacia secondary to vascular rings.
- Further studies are warranted to evaluate long-term outcomes and broader applicability.