A pathological communication between the trachea and oesophagus – a tracheoesophageal fistula – may be congenital or acquired, benign or malignant, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach. Conservative attempts at closure of this abnormal connection are ineffective; the interposition of healthy vascular tissue offers the least chance of recurrence.

Outcomes of an islanded fasciocutaneous internal mammary artery perforator flap applied for tracheoesophageal fistula management were assessed in four radiated patients with laryngeal carcinoma using retrospective records.

Four male patients, with an average age of 60.75 years, underwent tracheoesophageal fistula closure between September 2017 and February 2021. A left-sided second internal mammary artery perforator flap was used in all cases, with an average dimension of 10.5 × 4.5 cm. There were no complications of tracheoesophageal leak, flap issues or donor site morbidity on follow up.

Recent advances in angiosomal territory mapping and microvascular dissection techniques, combined with an understanding of tracheoesophageal fistula pathology, have changed management perspectives in these difficult-to-treat patients.

Commercially available suction devices are expensive, large and heavy, and need electricity, and thus restrict the outdoor activity of tracheostomised children and their carers. This study evaluated the efficacy and usability of a simple suction assembly using a syringe and feeding tube in paediatric tracheostomised patients.

Following the domiciliary usage of this suction assembly instead of their existing suction device for a minimum of 15 days, carers responded to a set of questionnaires containing a subjective scoring system.

Ninety-three per cent of the carers considered this assembly as average, good or very good in cleaning the tracheostomy tube. Eighty per cent of the carers considered that this assembly would be suitable when their existing suction machines are unavailable, indicating high usability, and 66.67 per cent of the carers would be confident using this assembly in outdoor settings.

Larger studies with objective evaluation methods can validate the high efficacy of this simple, inexpensive and easy-to-use, hand-held suction apparatus as reported by the carers of 15 paediatric tracheostomised patients in this study.

To summarise and describe the clinical presentations, diagnostic approaches and airway management techniques in children with laryngotracheal trauma.

The clinical data related to laryngotracheal trauma diagnosed and treated at the Beijing Children's Hospital, between January 2013 and July 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. Disease diagnosis, treatment, management and outcomes were analysed.

A total of 13 cases were enrolled, including 7 cases of penetrating laryngotracheal trauma. The six cases of blunt laryngotracheal trauma were caused by collisions with hard objects. In all cases, voice, airway and swallowing outcomes were graded as ‘good’, except for one patient who had residual paralysis of the vocal folds.

Flexible fibre-optic laryngoscopy and computed tomography can play an important role in diagnosing laryngotracheal trauma. The airway should be secured and, if necessary, opened by tracheal intubation or tracheostomy.

Idiopathic subglottic stenosis describes subglottic stenosis where no inflammatory, traumatic, iatrogenic or other causative aetiology can be identified. The present study aimed to outline our institution's experience of patients diagnosed with idiopathic subglottic stenosis and describe a very rarely reported familial association.

A retrospective review was conducted of prospectively maintained medical records from 2011 to 2020. Patient clinical, radiological and intra-operative data were reviewed to assess for defined endpoints.

Ten patients with idiopathic subglottic stenosis were identified in this series. One familial pairing was identified, with two sisters presenting with the condition. Successful treatment with carbon dioxide laser and dilatation was achieved in most cases.

Idiopathic subglottic stenosis represents a rare, clinically challenging pathology. Management with endoscopic laser and balloon dilatation is an effective treatment. This paper highlights a very rare familial association, and describes our experience in treating idiopathic subglottic stenosis.

To identify the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of relapsing polychondritis patients with airway involvement.

Twenty-eight patients with relapsing polychondritis, hospitalised in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between April 2011 and April 2021, were retrospectively analysed.

Fifty per cent of relapsing polychondritis patients with airway involvement had a lower risk of ear and ocular involvement. Relapsing polychondritis patients with airway involvement had a longer time-to-diagnosis (p < 0.001), a poorer outcome following glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressant treatment (p = 0.004), and a higher recurrence rate than those without airway involvement (p = 0.004). The rates of positive findings on chest computed tomography and bronchoscopy in relapsing polychondritis patients with airway involvement were 88.9 per cent and 85.7 per cent, respectively. Laryngoscopy analysis showed that 66.7 per cent of relapsing polychondritis patients had varying degrees of mucosal lesions.

For relapsing polychondritis patients with airway involvement, drug treatment should be combined with local airway management.

A 43-year-old woman presented with a 3-week history of globus sensation and malaise. A computed tomography scan of her neck showed a large right paratracheal abscess secondary to an infected tracheal diverticulum. The patient was admitted under the ENT surgical team, and underwent incision and drainage of the abscess. There were no post-operative complications and she was discharged home after 2 days, on oral antibiotics.

This case demonstrates that a tracheal diverticulum may become infected and present as a cervical abscess. To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case in the international literature of abscess formation related to an infected tracheal diverticulum.

Post-laryngectomy tracheostomal stenosis is common and often results in an inadequate airway. Several techniques have been described to minimise tracheostomal stenosis. The star technique involves an ‘X’ incision with four flaps sutured into the trachea. The petal technique involves two inferior flaps on either side being sutured into the trachea. The authors combined the star and petal techniques, resulting in an innovative fish mouth technique.

This innovation involves two lateral skin flaps being sutured into an incision on either side of the lateral wall of the trachea. This results in an elongated, broadened and elliptical tracheostoma, mimicking that of a fish mouth.

Benefits of the fish mouth technique include adequate stoma size for respiration, easier clearing of secretions, self-sufficiency without a stent, easier cleaning of a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis, and stoma occlusion for voice production. The fish mouth technique is easily reproducible and suitable for those with a voice prosthesis.

Suprastomal granulation tissue is a common complication of long-term tracheostomy. It may be associated with bleeding, aphonia, airway obstruction and delayed decannulation.

This study describes the experience of a tertiary paediatric medical centre with CoblationTM-assisted suprastomal granulation tissue excision.

Thirteen children (mean age, 5.7 years) who underwent the procedure from 2013 to 2019 because of delayed decannulation or aphonia were included. Lumen obstruction ranged from 50 to 90 per cent, with a mean of 68.8 per cent. After the procedure, decannulation was successfully performed in 7 patients, and voice quality improved in 10 patients. There were no peri- or post-operative complications.

This is the largest series to date that describes Coblation used for the treatment of suprastomal granuloma. Coblation has advantages of high precision, relatively low temperature (thereby avoiding thermal injury to adjacent tissue), haemostatic resection and feasibility for use for even large granulomas. The promising results should prompt further studies in larger samples.

This review assesses regenerative medicine of the upper aerodigestive tract during the first two decades of the twenty-first century, focusing on end-stage fibrosis and tissue loss in the upper airways, salivary system, oropharynx and tongue.

PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Medline and clinicaltrials.org were searched from 2000 to 2019. The keywords used were: bioengineering, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, cell therapy, regenerative surgery, upper aerodigestive tract, pharynx, oropharynx, larynx, trachea, vocal cord, tongue and salivary glands. Original studies were subcategorised by anatomical region. Original human reports were further analysed. Articles on periodontology, ear, nose and maxillofacial disorders, and cancer immunotherapy were excluded.

Of 716 relevant publications, 471 were original studies. There were 18 human studies included, within which 8 reported airway replacements, 5 concerned vocal fold regeneration and 3 concerned salivary gland regeneration. Techniques included cell transplantation, injection of biofactors, bioscaffolding and bioengineered laryngeal structures.

Moderate experimental success was identified in the restoration of upper airway, vocal fold and salivary gland function. This review suggests that a shift in regenerative medicine research focus is required toward pathology with a higher disease burden.

Coronavirus disease 2019 critical care patients endure prolonged periods of intubation. Late tracheostomy insertion, large endotracheal tubes and high cuff pressures increase their risk of subglottic and tracheal stenosis. This patient cohort also often appears to have co-morbidities associated with laryngotracheal stenosis, including high body mass index and laryngopharyngeal reflux.

This paper presents three coronavirus disease 2019 patients who were intubated for a mean of 28 days before tracheostomy, leading to complex multi-level stenoses.

All patients underwent multiple endoscopic tracheoplasty procedures and two required tracheal resections. There was a mean of 33.9 days between interventions. Coronavirus disease 2019 patients do not appear to respond as well to steroid, laser and balloon dilatation as other adult stenosis patients.

Intubated coronavirus disease 2019 patients have an increased risk of laryngotracheal stenosis, as a result of multiple factors. Otolaryngology teams should be vigilant in investigating for this complication. International guidelines on time to tracheostomy should be followed, despite a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019.

The incidence of recurrent stenosis after cricotracheal resection is 3–9.5 per cent. Management of such patients is challenging. This study aimed to review our experience in revision cricotracheal resection.

The study was conducted in the Otorhinolaryngology Department, Mansoura University Hospitals, Egypt, on nine patients with recurrent stenosis following cricotracheal resection. Revision cricotracheal resection was performed in all patients. Surgiflo was applied on the site of anastomosis to enhance healing.

No intra-operative complications were recorded. Minor post-operative complications occurred in two patients (surgical emphysema and temporary choking); no major complications were reported. Re-stenosis occurred in one patient. Successful decannulation was achieved in eight of the nine patients.

Revision cricotracheal resection is the definitive curative treatment for recurrent stenosis after previous unsuccessful resection. It has high success rates, provided that careful pre-operative assessment and meticulous operative technique are performed.

Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (‘THRIVE’) has been classified as a high-risk aerosol-generating procedure and is strongly discouraged, despite a lack of conclusive evidence on its safety.

This study aimed to investigate the safety of transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange usage and its impact on staff members. A prospective study was conducted on all transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange cases performed in our unit between March and July 2020.

During the study period, 18 patients with a variety of airway pathologies were successfully managed with transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange. For each case, 7–10 staff members were present. Appropriate personal protective equipment protocols were strictly implemented and adhered to. None of the staff involved reported symptoms or tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019, up to at least a month following their exposure to transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange.

With strictly correct personal protective equipment use, transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange can be safely employed for carefully selected patients in the current pandemic, without jeopardising the health and safety of the ENT and anaesthetic workforce.

Whilst aortopexy is an accepted and established procedure, there remains considerable heterogeneity within the literature, with inconsistencies in both the approach taken and the technique employed. Furthermore, limited data exist on both patient selection and long-term outcomes. This study aimed to report the experience of managing severe tracheomalacia by way of aortopexy in a large UK paediatric centre.

A retrospective case note review was conducted. Mean follow up was five years.

Twenty-five patients underwent aortopexy for severe tracheomalacia caused by external vascular compression. Acute life-threatening events precipitated investigation in 72 per cent of cases. Twenty-one patients initially presented to ENT services for investigation, which comprised upper airway endoscopy and imaging with computed tomography angiography. Post-operatively, the majority of patients demonstrated complete resolution of symptoms and were discharged from all associated services. Only four patients required a tracheostomy.

Aortopexy offers an effective method of treating severe tracheomalacia due to vascular compression.

Tracheocutaneous fistula represents one of the most troublesome complications of prolonged tracheostomy. Simple closure of a fistula can be ineffective, particularly in the context of prior surgery and adjuvant radiation. As such, modes of repair have expanded to include locoregional flaps and even free tissue transfers.

This paper describes a case of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula in an irradiated patient who had undergone previous unsuccessful attempts at repair.

The use of regional fasciocutaneous supraclavicular flap with prefabricated conchal bowl cartilage resulted in successful closure of the tracheocutaneous fistula.

This represents a novel technique for closure of such fistulas in patients for whom previous attempts have failed. This mode of repair should be added to the surgeon's repertoire of reparative techniques.

The use of three-dimensional printing has been rapidly expanding over the last several decades. Virtual surgical three-dimensional simulation and planning has been shown to increase efficiency and accuracy in various clinical scenarios.

To report the feasibility of three-dimensional printing in paediatric laryngotracheal stenosis and discuss potential applications of three-dimensional printed models in airway surgery.

Retrospective case series in a tertiary care aerodigestive centre.

Three-dimensional printing was undertaken in two cases of paediatric laryngotracheal stenosis. One patient with grade 4 subglottic stenosis with posterior glottic involvement underwent an extended partial cricotracheal reconstruction. Another patient with grade 4 tracheal stenosis underwent tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis. Models of both tracheas were printed using PolyJet technology from a Stratasys Connex2 printer.

It is feasible to demonstrate stenosis in three-dimensional printed models, allowing for patient-specific pre-operative surgical simulation. The models serve as an educational tool for patients’ understanding of the surgery, and for teaching residents and fellows.

This paper discusses three cases of tracheal agenesis that presented within a six-week period to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. By reviewing the available literature on tracheal agenesis, the report aims to outline a protocol for future prenatal and postnatal management.

A case series and a literature review.

Three cases of tracheal agenesis presented in the classical manner, with respiratory distress and unsuccessful intubation following delivery. A literature review confirmed that prenatal diagnosis requires future innovation; survival is rare and is predominately reliant on intubation of the oesophagus when a patent tracheoesophageal fistula is present. In most cases, tracheal agenesis represents part of the ‘VATER’ association: vertebral defects, anal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula with oesophageal atresia, and radial or renal dysplasia. Complex, multiple-stage surgical procedures have been described; however, no survival to adolescence is documented.

There is a call for improved prenatal diagnosis to allow both adequate counselling of parents and preparation for multi-specialty management at delivery. In addition, these cases highlight the ongoing need for improved congenital anomaly data within the UK, with currently only 49 per cent of England's births being registered.

The Montgomery T-tube is used in a number of conditions that require safe tracheal stenting. Specific lengths of T-tube limbs are occasionally needed in patients with complex airway anatomy or differing neck proportions; this requires customisation of the T-tube limbs. This is done either by pre-ordering customised T-tubes from the manufacturer (which needs to be planned ahead of time) or using a tube cutter in the operating theatre. However, the latter does not provide a ‘factory like’ bevelled edge when shortened, which increases the risk of mucosal trauma and granulation formation.

This paper reports a novel technique for customising the length of existing Montgomery T-tubes, with preservation of the bevelled edges. This technique can be easily performed with basic equipment available in operating theatres.

Acquired airway stenosis can be challenging to manage endoscopically because of difficult field visualisation, instrument limitations and the risk of laser fire. At our institution, radiofrequency coblation has been successfully used for the resection of subglottic and tracheal stenosis in adults. This paper presents our experience with this technique.

A retrospective case note analysis of all cases of airway stenosis in adults from 2007 to 2012 was performed.

Ten adult patients underwent coblation resection for airway stenosis. All lesions were classified as McCaffrey stage I (i.e. less than 1 cm long). Causes of stenosis included: idiopathic stenosis (40 per cent), previous tracheostomy (30 per cent) and endotracheal intubation (20 per cent). Six patients (60 per cent) required a single procedure and 4 (40 per cent) required multiple interventions. All patients reported significant improvement in their symptoms following treatment. All patients were alive at the time of writing and none have required open resection.

Radiofrequency coblation is an attractive alternative technique for the treatment of idiopathic or acquired airway stenosis in adults.

Multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic tool which provides a three-dimensional view of the tracheobronchial airway. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of virtual bronchoscopy in cases of vegetable foreign body aspiration in children.

The medical records of patients with a history of foreign body aspiration from August 2006 to August 2010 were reviewed. Data were collected regarding their clinical presentation and chest X-ray, virtual bronchoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy findings. Cases of metallic and other non-vegetable foreign bodies were excluded from the analysis. Patients with multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy showing features of vegetable foreign body were included in the analysis. For each patient, virtual bronchoscopy findings were reviewed and compared with those of rigid bronchoscopy.

A total of 60 patients; all children ranging from 1 month to 8 years of age, were included. The mean age at presentation was 2.01 years. Rigid bronchoscopy confirmed the results of multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy (i.e. presence of foreign body, site of lodgement, and size and shape) in 59 patients. In the remaining case, a vegetable foreign body identified by virtual bronchoscopy was revealed by rigid bronchoscopy to be a thick mucus plug. Thus, the positive predictive value of virtual bronchoscopy was 98.3 per cent.

Multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for identifying radiolucent vegetable foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree. It can also provide a useful pre-operative road map for rigid bronchoscopy. Patients suspected of having an airway foreign body or chronic unexplained respiratory symptoms should undergo multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy to rule out a vegetable foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree and avoid general anaesthesia and invasive rigid bronchoscopy.