[Surgical tracheotomy in congenital anomalies of the larynx].

Surgical tracheotomy in newborn children is a rare intervention. It is reserved for heavy pathological disorders that cause obstruction of airways. In the Mother and Child Health Institute over the period from 1992 to 2001 we treated 141 children with congenital laryngeal anomaly. Most frequent was laryngomalatia in 96 (68%) newborns, then congenital laryngeal stenosis in 17 (12%), laryngeal cysts in 11 (8%) cases, unilateral or bilateral vocal cord palsy in 7 (5%), laryngeal haemangioma in 7 (5%), laryngeal web in 2 infants and laryngeal hypoplasia in 1 case. Tracheotomy was performed in 11 (8%) infants, because their breathing was difficult, and they were at risk from suffocation. In six infants we made successful disannulment and in the others treatment still continues. We decided that surgical tracheotomy must be carried out just in cases with acute respiratory insufficiency, as a step in later treatment.