Chongqing hospital reconstructs a closed airway with tracheoplasty and a T-tube
A patient with complete subglottic closure after tracheostomy regained nasal breathing and speech after airway reconstruction at the college’s affiliated hospital.
Published by CareAtlas · Editorial policy
The Affiliated People's Hospital of Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College has reported its first tracheoplasty combined with T-tube implantation. In its October 20, 2026 account, the ENT–head and neck surgery and anaesthesia teams reconstructed a completely closed airway below the vocal cords in a patient who had undergone tracheostomy more than six months earlier.
The blockage was below functioning vocal cords
Following the earlier tracheostomy, the patient depended on a tube in the neck for ventilation, could not breathe through the nose and could not speak normally. Preoperative assessment showed that both vocal cords moved well. However, CT demonstrated complete closure above the tracheostomy opening, with scar tissue reaching 1.3 cm at its thickest. Air could not reach the glottis even though the vocal cords themselves still functioned.
The ENT team organised a multidisciplinary discussion with anaesthesia. They reviewed CT images, measured the extent of closure and repeatedly assessed the airway before choosing an individual reconstruction plan. The hospital emphasised the narrow operating space, delicate anatomy and substantial demands on intraoperative airway management.
Reconstruction and support of the new airway
The surgeons opened the thick scar tissue and used tracheal flaps with suturing to reshape and widen the airway. They inserted a T-tube during the same operation to support the reconstructed lumen and reduce the risk of recurrent scar narrowing. Anaesthesia and surgery worked together to maintain the airway throughout the procedure.
Postoperatively, the hospital reported good recovery without significant complications at the stage described. When the T-tube was capped, air passed through the glottis: the patient could speak with family members and breathe through the nose again. The reported result was achieved with this supported airway; the account does not establish a long-term recurrence outcome.
For someone seeking assessment of complex airway stenosis, the case identifies a concrete surgical and anaesthetic pathway. The location and extent of obstruction, remaining vocal-cord function and safe management of ventilation all shaped the decision. Here, reconstructing the passage below functioning vocal cords created the opportunity to restore both airflow and voice.