Complications and outcomes following open laryngotracheal reconstruction: A 15 year experience at an Australian paediatric tertiary referral centre.

OBJECTIVE: To report on our experience with open pediatric laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) with cartilage interposition grafts over the past 15 years and document setbacks and factors that affect postoperative outcomes.

METHOD: A retrospective chart review was performed on all pediatric patients who underwent single and double-stage LTR at The Children's Hospital in Westmead between August 2004 and July 2019. The outcomes measured include the overall decannulation rate, rates of postoperative complications, need for subsequent procedures and postoperative functional results (dyspnea, stridor, voice impairment).

RESULTS: Between August 2004 and July 2019, a total of 51 open LTRs were performed on 46 patients, with mean age 3.9 years (range 1 month to 12.1 years), including 11 revision operations (11.8%). The most common indication for surgery was subglottic stenosis, followed by bilateral vocal cord motion impairment followed by anterior glottic web. 13 cases (25.5%) were complicated by ventilator associated pneumonia in the postoperative period and 11 patients (21.6%) experienced wound complications ranging from localised wound abscess to wound dehiscence and graft failure. Patients with viral infections had an increased risk of wound dehiscence and graft failure (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.01 - 3.23). Patients with a greater decrease in albumin in the postoperative period were more likely to have wound complications (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.17 -2.83). Ten patients failed extubation and required a subsequent tracheostomy. Severity of stenosis, age at time of surgery, history of prematurity and revision LTR were not predictors for need for reintubation and/or tracheostomy after surgery. 23 cases (45.1%) underwent subsequent endoscopic procedures such a balloon dilatation to manage restenosis following LTR. Though 45.7% had a very good outcome, a significant group of 21% had ongoing voice issues.

CONCLUSION: Good outcomes were achieved following open LTR for pediatric laryngotracheal stenosis despite postoperative complications. At final follow up, 33 patients (71.7%) had good exercise tolerance with no or mild stridor. Forty-one of the forty-six patients (89.1%) were successfully decannulated.