CONGENITAL TRACHEAL STENOSIS - THE OTOLARYNGOLOGISTS PERSPECTIVE

Congenital tracheal stenosis is a rare congenital anomaly, with less t han 70 reported cases in the literature. The presenting signs and symp toms of strider, recurrent pneumonia, and respiratory distress are com monly seen in other conditions. The rarity of congenital tracheal sten osis and the diverse presentations make accurate early diagnosis diffi cult and frequently lead to inappropriate treatment. We treated three patients with congenital tracheal stenosis who presented with differen t sites of stenosis. Each patient displayed different symptoms and req uired individualized management. The treatment of congenital tracheal stenosis depends on identifying the site and extent of the stenosis. W e reviewed the embryogenesis and treatment of this abnormality and dev eloped a new classification system that will aid in the management of congenital tracheal stenosis.