[Success of balloon dilation in subglottic stenosis depending on balloon size]

Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is a disease of the upper respiratory tract that restricts airway function. Balloon dilation is an established therapy for the treatment of SGS. This study analyzes the relationship between the intervals after balloon dilation and the balloon size used.

In this retrospective analysis, the interval days of 35 patients after balloon dilation until the recurrence of symptoms were evaluated. The interventions took place between 2019 and 2024. In 12 patients, SGS was caused by granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), while in the remaining patients the cause was idiopathic. A total of 105 balloon dilations were performed with different balloon sizes (14 mm, 16 mm, and 18 mm).

No significant differences were observed between the interval days depending on the age of the patients. The median interval for idiopathic SGS after intervention with 18 mm balloons was 381 days, with 16 mm balloons 344 days, and with 14 mm balloons 412 days. In GPA patients, it was 386 days with 18 mm balloons, 282 days with 16 mm balloons, and 244 days with 14 mm balloons. No serious complications occurred. The interval in seropositive GPA patients was longer than in seronegative patients.

The present results show that balloon dilatation is a safe and effective method. The median time intervals after balloon dilatation in idiopathic SGS differ only slightly depending on the balloon size. In contrast, a longer time interval is observed in GPA patients, depending on the balloon size. In addition, it can be assumed prognostically that seropositive GPA patients benefit from intervention for a longer period.