Treatment

Tracheal Resection

Key Points About Tracheal Resection

Tracheal resection is surgery to remove a segment of your child’s windpipe (trachea).
Tracheal resection surgery can help address:
- Tracheal stenosis: a narrowing of the trachea present at birth
- A tracheoesophageal fistula: an abnormal opening between the wall of the trachea and the throat (esophagus)
- A tumor in the trachea
This is a major surgery that may involve your child staying at the hospital for a week or more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is tracheal resection?

Tracheal resection is removing a segment of your child’s windpipe (trachea). It is major surgery to address problems with your child’s airway and help them breathe.

The trachea, or windpipe, can be scarred, blocked or damaged by an injury or disease. If other treatments such as widening the area with an inflatable balloon (balloon endoscopy) do not solve the problem, tracheal resection may be recommended by your child’s doctor.

Tracheal surgery can treat areas of tracheal stenosis. Tracheal resection may be necessary to repair a tracheoesophageal fistula.

The surgery can also be part of treatment for a child with a tumor in the trachea. These tumors are very rare in children and are usually benign (noncancerous).

What are the benefits of tracheal resection?

What are the risks of tracheal resection?

What happens before a tracheal resection?

What happens during a tracheal resection?

Tracheal resection takes place in a hospital operating room and the procedure itself takes several hours.

Your child is asleep under general anesthesia.
The doctors make a lengthwise (horizontal) opening in the front of your child’s neck, following a natural crease and including a tracheostomy if your child has one.
The team carefully moves aside the muscles and soft tissue to reach the trachea.
Using endoscopy as a guide, the doctors remove the diseased or damaged trachea segment.
The two healthy ends of the trachea are sewn together.

What happens after a tracheal resection?

Your child will spend several days in critical care under sedation to let the surgery heal.
The doctor will take steps to prevent nausea and vomiting that could damage the surgical area.
The doctors will return to the operating room to check how the surgical area is healing.
Your child may undergo a swallowing test before being given a diet to follow.
When it is safe for you to care for your child at home, your child will be released from the hospital. This is usually after 4 to 7 days.
You and your child will follow up with the surgeon to monitor healing.
Your child may need speech therapy after tracheal resection.