We reported the role of endobronchial ultrasound as complement to standard diagnostic
exams to better define the benign tracheal stenosis (i.e., thickness and tracheal
cartilage integrity) and to plan the treatment with flexible instead of rigid bronchoscope.
Under sedation and spontaneous ventilation, the flexible bronchoscope was inserted
through the laryngeal mask airway that assured the ventilation. The stenosis was first
resected with cold scissors and then dilated with balloon catheter. This strategy
was successfully applied in five consecutive patients. Inclusion criteria for the
procedure were stenosis < 1 cm in length, without tracheomalacia and with integrity
of airway cartilage.
Keywords
benign tracheal stenosis - endobronchial ultrasound - laryngeal mask airway
