TRACHEAL GROWTH IN CONGENITAL TRACHEAL STENOSIS

Two cases of congenital tracheal stenosis were managed conservatively despite mild to moderate initial respiratory symptomatology in infancy . Serial CT examinations were performed on each child, with tracheal d imensions and cross-sectional areas measured in the region of stenosis at each CT examination. The examinations document increases in trache al cross-sectional area in the region of stenosis over time, confirmin g tracheal cartilage growth. We present these data to dispel the hypot hesis that tracheal growth does not occur in complete-ring tracheal st enosis. The selection of cases for surgical repair must be considered with the knowledge that this anomaly does not carry an inevitably poor prognosis.