Long-term results after surgical treatment of laryngeal stenosis in small children.

Thirteen severe cases of laryngeal stenosis were operated on at the ages of 1-3 years. The operations were performed by making a laryngofissure in the front part of the larynx and excising the stenosing scar. The back wall of the larynx was incised in the midline and the two halves of the cricoid lamina were separated from each other. An indwelling prosthesis was placed in the larynx for 4 months. All patients but one were decannulated. The positive clinical result of the operation proved to be permanent through the rapid growth phase of puberty in 7 patients out of the 10 who had reached puberty. Three patients developed a gradually worsening laryngeal stenosis during the rapid growth phase of puberty. One of them was successfully re-operated. The mean follow-up time was 12 years. Ventilatory function tests were performed on 9 patients, 4 of which proved to have normal ventilatory function or only slight airflow limitation in central airways.