[A case of subglottic tracheal stenosis following tracheostomy successfully treated with laryngo-tracheal anastomosis].

A 77-year-old male patient underwent laryngo-tracheal anastomosis for subglottic tracheal stenosis. He developed exertional dyspnea 10 month after tracheostomy. Anterior and lateral wall of the cricoid cartilage and the first two tracheal cartilages were resected, preserving the recurrent laryngeal nerves. The distal trachea was anastomosed to the thyroid cartilage primarily and tracheostomy was made at 6th tracheal ring. Postoperatively, anterior flexion of the neck was maintained for a week. Oral intake was started on the 2nd postoperative day. The patient showed smooth recovery. The important points of this operation are: 1) preoperative evaluation of the residual subglottic space, 2) intraoperative care for preservation of the recurrent nerves, especially at the lateral sides of the crycoid cartilage, and 3) postoperative maintenance of the cervical anterior flexion.