Subglottic stenosis
Background
- A narrowing of the trachea directly inferior to the vocal cords
Causes
- Idiopathic (more likely to affect females)
- Congenital abnormality in newborns
- Past mechanical trauma to the airway (intubation or surgery)
- Autoimmune disorders
- Wegener's granulomatosis/ GPA - Approximately 36% of patients with GPA develop subglottic stenosis [1]
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
Clinical Features
- Tachypnea/ dyspnea/ hypoxia
- Inspiratory stridor
- Hoarseness/ dysphonia
- Respiratory accessory muscle usage
- Cough
- "Tightness" in the neck
- Patients with history of greater than 1 week of intubation
Differential Diagnosis
Stridor
Trauma
- Larynx fracture
- Tracheobronchial tear/injury
- Thyroid gland injury/trauma
- Tracheal injury
- Electromagnetic or radiation exposure
- Burns, inhalation injury
Infectious Disorders
- Bacterial tracheitis
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Tracheobronchial tuberculosis
- Poliomyelitis, paralytic, bulbar, or acute
- Fungal laryngitis
Abscesses
- Retropharyngeal abscess
- Epiglottitis, acute
- Peritonsillar abscess
- Laryngotracheobronchitis (croup)
- Retropharyngeal abscess
Neoplastic Disorders
- Neoplasms/tumors
Allergic and Auto-Immune Disorders
- Spasmodic/tracheobronchitis
- Angioedema/Angioneurotic edema
Metabolic, Storage Disorders
- Cerebral Gaucher's of infants (acute)
- Tracheobronchial amyloidosis
Biochemical Disorders
Congenital, Developmental Disorders
- Angioedema/Angioneurotic edema, hereditary
Psychiatric Disorders
- Somatization disorder
Anatomical or Mechanical
- Foreign body aspiration
- Acute gastric acid/aspiration syndrome
- Airway obstruction
- Neck compartment hemorrhage/hematoma
- Paradoxical vocal fold motion [2]
Vegetative, Autonomic, Endocrine Disorders
- Esophageal free reflux/GERD syndrome
- Laryngospasm, acute
- Bilateral vocal cord paralysis
- Hypoparathyroidism
Poisoning
Chronic Pediatric Conditions
- Laryngotracheomalacia[3]
- Subglottic stenosis or prior intubation
- Vascular ring (double aortic arch)
- Vocal cord dysfunction/paroxysmal vocal fold movement
Evaluation
- Direct visualization via scope
- CT Neck
Management
- ENT referral or immediate securing of airway dependent upon respiratory distress
- Humidified oxygen
- Proton pump inhibitor
- Systemic steroids
- Treat underlying disorder if caused by autoimmune disorder
Definitive Management:
- Dilation
- Cricotracheal resection
- Tracheotomy
Disposition
- Admit
See Also
External Links
References
- ↑ Taylor SC, Clayburgh DR, Rosenbaum JT, Schindler JS. Progression and management of Wegener's granulomatosis in the head and neck. Laryngoscope 2012; 122:1695.
- ↑ Vocal Cord Dysfunction on Internet Book of Critical Care https://emcrit.org/ibcc/vcd/
- ↑ Ernst A, Feller-Kopman D, Becker HD, Mehta AC. Central airway obstruction. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004