Airway Reconstruction
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is the worldwide leader in performing pediatric airway reconstructions. The Pediatric Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery Division combines world-class surgeons, cutting-edge research, multidisciplinary care and a specialized support staff to provide the best care for children.
Our team has performed more than 2,200 airway reconstructions to date, averaging roughly 150 surgeries each year. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of Robin T. Cotton, MD, FACS, FRCS(C) and our team of highly skilled surgeons, Cincinnati Children's performs more than three times the number of open pediatric airway reconstructions than any other medical facility in the world.
What Is Airway Reconstruction?
In general, airway reconstructions include procedures involving the area from the top of the voice box all the way down to the trachea. Hundreds of procedures fall into two main categories under airway reconstruction:
Open airway procedures are made with a neck incision into the airway. Endoscopic procedures are done through the mouth and do not require an incision in the neck.
Who is a Candidate for Airway Reconstruction?
At Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, we perform airway reconstructions on children with breathing difficulties, either from a congenital defect or as a result of a medical procedure. Candidates for airway reconstruction include:
Types of Open Airway Reconstruction Procedures
The four most common types of open airway reconstruction procedures include:
These procedures either reconstruct or expand segments of the airway, depending on the needs of the child.
