Tracheostomy in the management of laryngotracheobronchitis. Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital experience, 1980-1985.

In the 6-year period 1980-1985 162 children required tracheostomy during treatment of laryngotracheobronchitis at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town. This represents 4.6% of 3,500 children with this disorder and 28% of those requiring airway intervention. Fifty-eight percent of the children were decannulated within 4 weeks and 75% within 10 weeks. Fifty-four per cent of the children required one or more further procedures before decannulation, including 7 children who required a laryngotracheoplasty. Obstructing stomal granulation tissue had to be removed from 24 children and suprastomal collapse was a cause of decannulation failure in 29 children. Use of an expiratory valve as an aid to decannulation is discussed. Three children died of tracheostomy airway complications and 6 of a medical disorder. Another complication, laryngeal incompetence, was particularly associated with herpetic laryngeal ulceration.