Classification of laryngotracheal stenosis.

Seventy-two cases of laryngotracheal stenosis treated from 1981 through 1991 were reviewed to develop a system of classification which would be useful in predicting the outcome of treatment. Decannulation and absence of dyspnea after exertion were the criteria of successful management. The probability of decannulation over time was computed using the Kaplan-Meier technique. Cox multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effects of independent variables (age, sex, etiology, site of stenosis, length of stenosis, diameter of stenosis, and surgical technique) on treatment success. The only factors with a significant effect on the outcome were site of stenosis and diameter of stenosis. A classification into four clinical stages of stenosis based on site of lesion was shown to effectively predict the likelihood of successful decannulation.