Paediatric postintubation subglottic stenosis

Subglottic stenosis (SGS) can be congenital (rare) or acquired. The most common cause of acquired SGS is prolonged intubation. The narrowest and most susceptible area of the subglottic trachea is the portion circumscribed by the cricoid cartilage (as opposed to other portions where the cartilage rings are incomplete and the dimensions are wider). Granulation after extubation begins early although many children are diagnosed weeks/months later. Clinical presentation is characterised by the onset of varying degrees of dyspnoea and stridor postextubation. Other causes of stridor (eg, transient postintubation oedema—characterised by onset shortly after extubation and good response to nebulised epinephrine and systemic steroids; viral croup—low-grade fever, inspiratory stridor and …