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Complete Tracheal Ring

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Complete Tracheal Ring

  • See Also
  1. Stridor
  2. Vascular Ring
  3. Tracheomalacia
  4. Laryngomalacia
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Tracheal rings are cartilagenous structures that offer flexible support to the trachea
  2. Normally, tracheal rings are open posteriorly
    1. Leaves up to one third of the trachea without a rigid support in back
  3. Some newborns have a Congenital Anomaly with a ring that completely encloses the trachea
    1. May significantly decrease the tracheal diameter
  • Findings
  1. Typically presents in the first few months of life
  2. Recurrent episodes
    1. Stridor
    2. Cyanosis
    3. Recurrent Pneumonia
  3. Triggers for episodic respiratory distress
    1. Upper Respiratory Infection
  • Management
  1. Up to 80% of children require surgical management
  • References
  1. Mehta and Eliason (2024) Crit Dec Emerg Med 38(6): 27-35