Stents for the treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis: review and proposal of a 3D-printed solution

Laryngotracheal stenosis is the leading indication for tracheostomy in children. Correction of stenosis and removal of the tracheostomy is a multi-stage process, and laryngeal stents are sometimes necessary to maintain the patency of the endolaryngeal lumen. Several laryngeal stents are commercially available, with varying designs, materials, and costs. The present study will give an overview of these devices. After a review of the literature and considering the expertise of our team, we conclude that computed tomography imaging and 3D printing technology can be used to make custom laryngeal molds designed to meet the individual needs of each patient.