The alternative treatment I offer to appropriate patients with idiopathic subglottic stenosis is open surgery. Cricotracheal resection, tracheal resection, and laryngotracheoplasty are procedures which remove the narrowed part of the lower larynx and upper trachea called the subglottis. The larynx and trachea are then sewn back together. This surgery offers a longer term solution because it removes the part of the narrowed section of the trachea. I will expand on treatment options including cricotracheal and tracheal resection in another blog post.
