Gastroesophageal reflux: A critical factor in pediatric subglottic stenosis

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) plays a causative role in the development of subglottic stenosis (SGS) in children. This study examined the impact of aggressive antireflux therapy on the clinical outcomes of 35 children. Since 1994, 25 children were treated aggressively with omeprazole and cisapride before endoscopic surgical repair of their stenoses, which ranged from Cotton grades 1 to 3. Nine patients became asymptomatic on antireflux therapy alone. Endoscopic repair was performed in 16 patients. Endoscopic repair failed in only 1, who required tracheotomy. Before 1994, all children undergoing endoscopic repair of SGS were treated perioperatively for reflux. Endoscopic repair failed in 10 of the 57 children, and all required tracheotomy. The clinical outcome of these 10 patients after aggressive antireflux therapy is described. Five of the 10 have been decannulated. The role of double pH probe testing and the importance of the pharyngeal probe for monitoring the response to antireflux medication are described. The probe data suggest that in some instances GER may be limited to perioperative stress, but in many cases, especially in premature infants with SGS, GER can persist unabated for years and is not outgrown as the patient matures.