Laryngotracheal stenosis is a disease characterized by scar formation that obstructs the voice box and/or trachea. It occurs in patients after breathing tube placement, as a result of autoimmune disease, or for unknown reasons, i.e., “idiopathic.” Women make up more than two-thirds of patients with laryngotracheal stenosis. The gender disparity is due to a combination of factors, including but likely not limited to placement of breathing tubes that are too large relative to the female larynx and trachea, and autoimmune diseases, which generally affect more women than men.
Idiopathic subglottic stenosis is a subtype of laryngotracheal stenosis involving scar formation in the subglottic region of the airway. It occurs due to unknown reasons, although recent advances implicate a dysregulated immune environment. Although it is a rare disease that near-exclusively afflicts peri-menopausal Caucasian women, the impairments to quality of life are often significant for patients, especially in the absence of any curative medical therapies.
The primary symptom of laryngotracheal stenosis is shortness of breath made worse by exertion. The scar tissue in the enclosed space of the voice box and/or trachea narrows the airway and can affect movement of the vocal cords. Other symptoms include voice changes, such as breathing more frequently when speaking, a hoarse voice, and/or difficulties with swallowing.
One of the limitations to current therapies is that it is not known how the scar develops, nor why the scar develops predominately in women. Treatment is primarily procedural/surgical, including airway dilation or serial intralesional steroid injection. While these procedures improve breathing, disease recurrence is common, and a majority of patients require additional surgeries for the rest of their lifetime to manage the disease and maintain an adequate airway to breathe. Newer surgeries such as the Maddern procedure yield more durable treatment responses and may be beneficial for patients with particularly aggressive disease.
If you or a family member has laryngotracheal stenosis, we recommend seeing an Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon at a large medical center who has extensive experience treating this disease. To learn more about the JHH Complex Airway Clinic, click here.
Click here to read about a patient's experience with laryngotracheal stenosis and how their treatment allowed them to breathe better.
For additional patient support networks, please visit:
Tracheal Stenosis Foundation, Inc.
Living with Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis
Idiopathic subglottic stenosis is a subtype of laryngotracheal stenosis involving scar formation in the subglottic region of the airway. It occurs due to unknown reasons, although recent advances implicate a dysregulated immune environment. Although it is a rare disease that near-exclusively afflicts peri-menopausal Caucasian women, the impairments to quality of life are often significant for patients, especially in the absence of any curative medical therapies.
The primary symptom of laryngotracheal stenosis is shortness of breath made worse by exertion. The scar tissue in the enclosed space of the voice box and/or trachea narrows the airway and can affect movement of the vocal cords. Other symptoms include voice changes, such as breathing more frequently when speaking, a hoarse voice, and/or difficulties with swallowing.
One of the limitations to current therapies is that it is not known how the scar develops, nor why the scar develops predominately in women. Treatment is primarily procedural/surgical, including airway dilation or serial intralesional steroid injection. While these procedures improve breathing, disease recurrence is common, and a majority of patients require additional surgeries for the rest of their lifetime to manage the disease and maintain an adequate airway to breathe. Newer surgeries such as the Maddern procedure yield more durable treatment responses and may be beneficial for patients with particularly aggressive disease.
If you or a family member has laryngotracheal stenosis, we recommend seeing an Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon at a large medical center who has extensive experience treating this disease. To learn more about the JHH Complex Airway Clinic, click here.
Click here to read about a patient's experience with laryngotracheal stenosis and how their treatment allowed them to breathe better.
For additional patient support networks, please visit:
Tracheal Stenosis Foundation, Inc.
Living with Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis