Airway Stenosis

New Patient Appointment or 214-645-8898

Airway stenosis – the narrowing of the airway – can make breathing difficult, resulting in respiratory distress and reduced endurance. UT Southwestern Medical Center’s multidisciplinary Complex Airway Program diagnoses and treats patients collaboratively to bring relief.

What Is Airway Stenosis?

Airway stenosis is a narrowing of the airway caused by scar tissue, malignant and benign tumors, congenital abnormalities, trauma, radiation, endotracheal intubation, tracheostomy, or autoimmune diseases. Sometimes, there is no identifiable cause. The stenosis can affect the larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), trachea (windpipe), or the bronchi (lung airways).

Why Choose UT Southwestern for Airway Stenosis Care?

The UT Southwestern multidisciplinary Complex Airway Program integrates the expertise of otolaryngology, thoracic surgery, interventional pulmonology, and rheumatology to deliver comprehensive care for patients with complex laryngeal, tracheal, and bronchial conditions.

Our specialists meet regularly to review challenging cases, so patients benefit from the collective insights of our entire team. This collaborative approach, combined with our commitment to compassionate care, ensures that every patient receives a highly personalized treatment plan.

Living with an airway condition can be incredibly difficult. We are dedicated to doing everything we can to help you breathe easier.

Kevin Liang, M.D., and Laura Frye, M.D.
Co-Directors, UTSW Complex Airway Program

What Conditions Are Related to Airway Stenosis?

Our otolaryngology, interventional pulmonology, and thoracic surgery teams treat the full range of conditions that can be associated with airway stenosis. These include:

Airway conditions
Benign airway tumors
Bronchial stenosis
Carinal tumors and stenosis
Laryngeal stenosis
Malignant airway tumors
Subglottic and tracheal stenosis
Tracheobronchial injuries
Tracheobronchomalacia

What Are the Symptoms of Airway Stenosis?

Narrowing in the airway may result in:

Shortness of breath, especially with exertion
Noisy breathing (stridor, wheezing)
Hoarseness
Trouble swallowing
Frequent bouts of pneumonia or bronchitis

How Is Airway Stenosis Diagnosed?

If we suspect that you have airway stenosis, we will conduct a physical examination and order studies to confirm the diagnosis. These can include:

Laryngoscopy and tracheoscopy to examine the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe)
Bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), and other interventional lung procedures
Chest X-rays (radiographs)
Cardiac imaging studies
Computed tomography (CT) with 3-D reconstructions
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Pulmonary laboratory studies
Ultrasound

How Is Airway Stenosis Treated?

Our team of airway experts will craft a treatment plan specific to each patient.

Treatments can include:

Steroid injections directly into the stenosis; this procedure takes place in the clinic without the need for sedation
Cold steel lysis, which involves cutting the scar with small scissors/knife
Laser ablation, which destroys the scar tissue
Cryoablation, which freezes the scar tissue
Dilation, which expands the airway
Airway stenting, which uses a hollow tube to hold the airway open; can be laryngeal, tracheal, bronchial, or a combination
T-tube placement, which is airway stenting with typically stronger voice compared with traditional tracheostomy
Maddern procedure, which is laser removal of scar tissue combined with a graft to reline the airway
Cricotracheal or tracheal resection, which is removal of the damaged portion of the airway; the remaining ends are joined together

Pediatric Airway Stenosis

Airway stenosis can be congenital (present at birth) if the trachea does not properly develop in the womb. But more commonly, it has an external cause, such as prolonged intubation, chest or throat injury, or a chronic inflammatory disease.

UT Southwestern Pediatric Group’s ear, nose, and throat specialists treat all types of airway disorders in children, including laryngeal stenosis (narrowing of the voice box) and tracheal stenosis (a narrowing of the windpipe). We provide compassionate, patient-centered to manage symptoms and restore proper function.

Learn more about our Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Program.

Clinical Trials

UT Southwestern conducts clinical trials aimed at improving the treatment of airway stenosis. Talk with our doctors to see if a clinical trial is available.