Subglottic stenosis.

Subglottic stenosis, a laryngeal narrowing, can be either congenital or acquired. There are various anatomic abnormalities of the cricoid that explain the congenital types. The acquired type is due to prolonged intubation in 90% of cases. Anterior cricoid split can obviate the need for a tracheotomy in the neonate with minimal nonfibrotic subglottic stenosis. Laryngotracheal reconstruction allows correction of the more severely stenotic children. Both of these procedures strive to provide an adequate airway and a satisfactory voice.