ABSTRACT
Airway stenosis can have a significant impact on the quality of life and sometimes on life itself. Abnormal narrowing of the laryngotracheal complex causes breathlessness, especially during physical activity. As a consequence, the incidence of laryngotracheal injury is probably increasing but remains unknown. Endotracheal intubation injury is identified as the most common cause of acquired laryngotracheal stenosis in the developed world. Laryngotracheal reconstruction uses rib cartilage to augment the anterior or posterior airway, or both. Generally, the diagnosis is made based on the history and symptomology. The patient attending the airway clinic has in most cases already been diagnosed with airway stenosis and is experiencing a variable degree of dyspnoea. Endoscopic airway assessment is performed by respiratory physicians, thoracic surgeons and otolaryngologists. Pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons are trained to use both flexible and rigid bronchoscopes. Flexible bronchoscopy is usually performed in the spontaneously breathing and sedated patient who has had topical anaesthetic applied to the upper aerodigestive tract.
