New techniques of airway reconstruction

Reconstruction of laryngotracheal stenosis continues to be a significant challenge. Many authors using a variety of techniques have reported success rates as high as 90%. Preoperative investigation, staging, and postoperative management have all seen advances based on animal or clinical studies. Unfortunately, there continues to be a group of patients in whom many different forms of reconstruction fail. New techniques that have been tried include cricotracheal resection, bioabsorbable plates and stents, and free tissue transfer. In selected patients, these modalities work well. The activity of mitomycin C as an antimetabolite has led to its application in an attempt to prevent restenosis.