How to: Post-COVID-19 Airway Stenosis: Tracheal Resection-Anastomosis Using The Tritube Ventilation

by Gabriele Molteni, MD, PhD, Virginia Dallari, MD, Erika Segato, MD, and Francesco Mattioli, MD, PhD •

RESULTS

The patient was gradually woken up after the surgery in the intensive care unit, then transferred to the otolaryngology ward. Postop care involved bed rest with flexed head as abovementioned, and use of PPIs, laxatives, and cough sedatives. The patient was fed via nasogastric tube for the first three postoperative days and then gradually resumed oral feeding.

A CT scan was conducted at three and seven days postop to verify that there were no gas traces or blood collections in the peritracheal tissues. The patient was discharged after 10 days with no complications. The CT scan at 45 days after surgery showed an improvement in the narrowing of the airways.

In conclusion, using the procedure that is outlined here, we were able to obtain an improvement in the caliber of the patient’s airways and his symptoms with no complications.