The healing of cricothyroidostomy in pigs. A morphological study

The advantages and disadvantages with cricothyroidotomy have been discussed by several authors during the last 12 years. The frequency of complications differs considerably probably depending on indications for surgery and methods of follow-up. In our own human material (253 patients cricothyroidotomized and 79 of 102 alive after 6 months followed up) there has been no case of laryngeal or tracheal stenosis. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of the inflammatory granulation tissue on the surrounding tissues in 8 cricothyroidotomized pigs, and to analyse the regeneration of the mucosa and the healing with special regard to development of stenosis. Despite pronounced stomal infection and formation of granulation tissue we found no case of stenosis, no injuries of the cartilage and a complete regeneration of the ciliated epithelium.