Atresia of the Trachea Following Repeated Percutaneous Dilational Tracheotomy

Percutaneous dilational tracheotomy (PDT) and conventionaltracheostomy are still competing methods to provide an airway forintensive care patients requiring assisted ventilation. Trachealstenosis is a late complication for any tracheostomy and long-termintubation. However, late complications in PDT have not beenextensively studied. This article is the first to report on totalatresia of the subglottic larynx and cervical trachea after PDT. Thedimension of the lesion is visualized by three-dimensionalreconstructed CT scan. The etiology of this condition isdiscussed.