[Results in the surgical management of tracheal stenoses (author's transl)]

After a review of the methods for treating tracheal stenosis, own results of 20 cases are reported, concerning 6 with subglottic stenosis, 7 localized in the cervical and 4 in the thoracic region, in 3 other cases the cervical and thoracic region was involved. The stenosis was the sequela of tracheotomy in 12 cases, of extended inflammations in 3 cases, of benign subglottic tumors in 3 cases and 2 following intubation. 3 dilatations, 7 tracheopexies and 7 tracheoplastics were performed. In 1 patient the stenosed portion was resected followed by end-to-end-anastomosis. Complete unrestricted respiration was achieved in 11 patients, adequate breathing at rest in 4 patients, and 3 patients had to continue wearing a tube. 3 patients died, 2 of them from other causes and 1 from inadequate postoperative care. The treatment procedures must be individualized to each patient, according to the different causes, sites, types of the tracheal stenosis, to improve diagnostics, and the preoperative and postoperative care. Great patience from the side of the patient as well as the physician is necessary to relieve the patient suffering from his severe dyspnea.