A silastic prosthesis for laryngeal stenosis.

A Silastic prosthesis anchored to a tracheostomy tube was used in the treatment of 5 children with subglottic stenosis. It did not cause any significant tissue reaction and obviated the problems of transfixion sutures. We treated 3 children successfully. Another died from complications owing to the tracheostomy. In the fifth patient the prosthesis was replaced by a Silastic T-tube. The use of the Silastic prosthesis is advocated for tough, dilatable laryngeal strictures, for which a T-tube is unsuitable. The advantages, disadvantages, method of manufacture and technique of insertion are discussed.