MANAGEMENT OF SUBGLOTTIC HEMANGIOMA

Between 1980 and 1993, 10 infants underwent endoscopic treatment and/o r open surgical excision of a subglottic haemangioma. Of the eight chi ldren treated with the laser, four showed simple evolution following a single laser treatment, one required repeated laser treatments and tw o needed tracheotomy despite repeated laser treatments The last three children developed moderate subglottic stenosis. Laser treatment was f ollowed by open surgical excision in one child. Two children underwent primary surgical excision, allowing extubation between 8 and 10 days post-operatively. After a period in which we systematically treated su bglottic haemangiomas with the laser, these findings have led us to em ploy open surgery in children with large subglottic haemangiomas or wh en airway obstruction requires a tracheostomy.