About the Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders
The Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders is staffed by internationally recognized leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of airway disorders in children. Our team of experts provide highly-specialized care for children with a wide variety of airway disorders, including:
- Congenital airway defects
- Airway problems due to trauma or lengthy intubation
- Voice disorders
- Swallowing disorders
- Long-term tracheostomy management
Evaluation and diagnosis
At the Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders, your child will be evaluated by a highly skilled, experienced staff which includes surgeons, a physician assistant, and nurse practitioners, as well as experts in speech, swallowing and respiratory therapy. This multidisciplinary team includes pulmonologists and gastroenterologists who collaborate to develop your child's care plan. The airway team can also work with other specialists throughout the hospital as needed, depending on your child's case.
Airway surgery
Should your child's condition require surgery, surgeons in the Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders are available to perform both complex and common airway and ENT surgeries. Our surgeons are among a select group nationwide that perform state-of-the-art airway reconstructive procedures, including:
- Laryngotracheal reconstruction
- Cricotracheal resection
- Laryngotracheal cleft repair
- Laryngeal nerve re-innervation
- Slide tracheoplasty
CHOP airway surgeons also specialize in endoscopic surgery, laser surgery, nasal surgery, tracheostomy, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and ear surgery.
Care for children with tracheostomies
The airway team also specializes in the care of children with long-term tracheostomies. These children are followed regularly to ensure proper tracheostomy tube size and fit, and help manage potential complications from having a long-term artificial airway. For those children whose conditions resolve, the team is here to support the decannulation process.
