Endoscopic Anterior Cricoid Split with Balloon Dilation for Failed Extubation

This is done in infants who have had failed extubation and had maximal medical treatment(steroids,epinephrine etc). This procedure done with careful patient selection will help avoid tracheostomy. The Larynx is suspended using a Lindholm Laryngoscope with patient spontaneously breathing with ventilating through the side port. The airway is first completely assessed to make sure there is no other lesion to explain the failure. The larynx is then suspended with a laryngoscope(Lindholm). With direct visualization a micro laryngeal sickle knife is used to divide the anterior cricoid with palpation of the neck from outside to feel the cut being made. Care is taken not to injure the anterior commissure. Once this is achieved a 5-7 mm balloon is used in an infant to dilate the sub glottis for 30-60 seconds. The patient is either extubated on the table or in a day.Further 24 hrs of steroids is given.

For further reading: Laryngoscope. 2012 Jan;122(1):216-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lary.22155. Epub 2011 Nov 17. Endoscopic anterior cricoid split with balloon dilation in infants with failed extubation. Horn DL, Maguire RC, Simons JP, Mehta DK.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17797/1y99qiqe93