Congenital tracheal surgery is uncommon and few centers have enough experience to make meaningful conclusions about treatment. Short-segment congenital tracheal stenosis is treated by tracheal resection, whereas long-segment stenosis is treated by slide tracheoplasty. Tracheomalacia is treated most commonly by aortopexy if due to simple vascular compression, division of an offending vascular ring if due to a compressing or encircling ring, or by careful observation if not associated with vascular compression.
Division of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Address reprint requests to Cameron D. Wright, MD, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Blake 1570, Massachusetts General Hospital, 32 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114