Risk Stratification of Slide Tracheoplasty for Pediatric Airway Stenosis

Slide tracheoplasty (STP) is the procedure of choice for treatment of long segmental congenital tracheal stenosis (LSCTS). Few studies predict factors leading to reintervention or mortality after STP. We analyzed a pediatric population to identify such factors and compared the outcome between 2 eras (1995-2012 and 2013-2017).

We analyzed 150 consecutive children who underwent STP from February 1995 to December 2017 in our hospital.

Median age and weight were 6.9 months and 6.1 kg. Average tracheal diameter of LSCTS was 2.3 mm. Tracheal stenosis extended into bronchus in 36 patients and distal malacia in 38. Median follow-up was 67 months; mortality was 12.7%. Balloon dilatation was required in 81 patients (54%), stents in 29 (19%), and reoperation in 4 (3%). The presence of malacia, preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, congenital anomalies, and single lung anatomy increased the risk for reintervention. Cox regression analysis revealed preoperative ventilation to be an independent factor predicting reintervention and single lung tracheal anatomy for mortality. In the current era (after 2013), survival improved from 88% to 97% and stent requirement was reduced from 25% to 11%.

Slide tracheoplasty can be applied to various airway configurations seen in LSCTS. The requirement for reintervention such as balloon dilatation and stenting is high in the group requiring preoperative ventilation. Mortality is highest in the single lung anatomy group. Centralization of care allowed us to develop the multidisciplinary team expertise to manage this and other rare airway conditions with acceptable outcomes.