Surgical repair of complete subglottic stenosis

Two cases of complete subglottic stenosis, with absence of any subglottic airway, are presented. Both patients were treated via an anterior tracheo-crico-thyrotomy with excision of scar tissue. In both patients the newly created lumen was stented with Silastic covered with a buccal graft. One of these patients also had a hyoid bone autograft inserted between the cut edges of the cricoid ring. Both patients were successfully decannulated. The literature is reviewed in order to trace the history of the development of the procedures used.