[High-grade tracheomalacia and tracheal stenosis in congenital esophageal atresia with lower esophagotracheal fistula (Type III b)].

Stenosis and malacia of the trachea wall can provoke chronic stridor and/or chronic bronchitis, but usually stenosis and malacia only exist separately. The finding of an infant born with atresia of the oesophagus and a lower tracheoesophageal fistula which was cured by surgery on the 1st day of life are discussed. During the following 8 months we observed persistent stridor, chronic cough and (4-times) relapsing episodes of respiratory insufficiency ("nearly-sudden-infant-death-syndrome"/NSIDS) due to gastrooesophageal reflux (GER with aspiration) and severe tracheomalacia combined with tracheostenosis and bacterial infections (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The strategy of therapy for GER and for the tracheal abnormality are discussed.