Postintubation tracheal stenosis in an 11-year-old boy: a surgical and anaesthetic challenge

We present a case of postintubation tracheal stenosis in an 11-year-old boy occurring after a relatively short period of intubation. He had been intubated and ventilated in a paediatric intensive care unit after a road traffic accident. Clinical symptoms manifested by oxygen desaturation and wheeziness, finally leading to deterioration of the level of consciousness, occurred a few hours after the first attempt at extubation after 48 h requiring reintubation. Endoscopic examination performed a few weeks later revealed a tracheal stenosis. Consequently, he underwent an initial period of conservative treatment consisting of balloon dilatation and intralesional injection of steroids, followed by a tracheal resection and reconstruction. The anaesthetic management of patients with tracheal stenosis presenting for laryngo-tracheobronchoscopy and balloon dilatation is discussed.