Congenital tracheal stenosis: report of six cases.

We experienced six cases of congenital tracheal stenosis during a 3 years' period from October 1991 to September 1994 in Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taiwan. The presenting symptoms of congenital tracheal stenosis varied from acute obstructive upper respiratory episodes in young childhood, stridor and wheezing since birth, recurrent bronchiolitis, difficult to intubate with endotracheal tube. Although bronchoscopy was diagnostic, but further imaging studies without anesthesia were equivocal. In spite of pericardial patch-tracheoplasties, the two cases undergoing surgery expired. During follow-ups, the remaining four patients suffered from persisting noisy respiration by conservative management.