Indirect management of full-thickness tracheal erosion in a complex pediatric patient

Prolonged tracheostomy dependence in pediatric patients can be associated with significant complications, including damage to the tracheal wall requiring reconstruction. We present a case of an 8 year-old female with full-thickness tracheal erosion secondary to the presence of a tracheostomy tube combined with a narrow thoracic inlet. A direct tracheal reconstruction was considered but eliminated due to the poor tissue quality of the trachea. Instead, a multi-disciplinary surgical team conceived of a novel indirect approach to manage the patient's tracheal defect. To our knowledge the use of indirect repair of a full-thickness tracheal defect has not been reported in the literature.