Complex Airway Treatment Services

What Are Complex Airway Diseases?

Complex airway diseases affect the windpipe (trachea) or other parts of the airway, making everyday activities like breathing, speaking and sometimes swallowing more difficult.

These conditions can be cancerous or noncancerous. Cancerous tumors may develop in the larynx (voice box), trachea, thyroid or lungs. Noncancerous conditions may develop because of autoimmune diseases, a tracheostomy or other causes of airway damage and scarring.

Causes of Complex Airway Diseases

Common causes of complex airway diseases can include:

• Airway tumors. Some airway tumors, including squamous cell carcinoma, are linked to smoking. Other tumors, including many benign tumors and other cancers, are not associated with a known cause.
• Previous intubation or tracheostomy. Damage from a breathing tube (intubation) or tracheostomy can cause scar tissue to form, narrowing the airway over time.
• Unknown causes. In some cases, complex airway diseases develop without a known cause.

Symptoms of Complex Airway Diseases

Symptoms can vary depending on what’s affecting your airway and where the problem is located. Talk to your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms:

• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Feeling like you can’t get enough air
• A new or persistent cough
• Wheezing or noisy breathing
• Hoarseness
• Coughing up blood

Diagnosing Complex Airway Diseases

Your care team may use imaging tests and procedures to better understand what’s affecting your airway. Tests may include:

• CT scan. A CT scan of the neck, chest or both to create detailed images that can help identify tumors, narrowing of the airway or other issues.
• Bronchoscopy. During this procedure, you’ll receive medication to help you relax while your doctor guides a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera through your mouth and into your airway. This allows your care team to examine your trachea and the airways leading to your lungs and identify any areas of concern.

Types of Complex Airway Disorders

At Rush, we diagnose and treat a wide range of complex airway disorders, such as:

• Airway obstruction from cancer, which can happen when a tumor grows inside the airway, presses on it from the outside or spreads to the trachea or bronchi.
• Airway papillomatosis, a rare disease caused by a type of human papillomavirus. It involves benign, wart-like growths that continue to form in the respiratory tract.
• Laryngotracheal stenosis, a narrowing of the upper airway that affects the larynx and trachea. It’s typically caused by scar tissue or inflammatory buildup that blocks airflow.
• Subglottic stenosis, a rare condition in which scar tissue forms in the cartilage just below the vocal cords, causing the airway to narrow and making it harder to breathe.
• Tracheal stenosis, which occurs when you have inflammation or scar tissue in your trachea that makes your trachea narrower. The tighter airway makes it more difficult to breathe. Some people are born with it, while others develop it later in life.
• Tracheal tumors, including rare, slow-growing cancers. They occur in the tube that connects your voice box to your lungs.
• Tracheomalacia, a condition that causes the airway to become weak and floppy. When you breathe in, the airway can partially collapse, making it harder to move enough air in and out of your lungs.
• Vocal cord paralysis, which happens when the nerves that control your voice box stop sending signals to the vocal cords, preventing them from opening or closing as they should.

The Approach to Complex Airway Diseases Treatment at Rush

If you’ve been diagnosed with a complex airway disease, our experts offer advanced treatments and personalized care to help you breathe more easily.

Our team includes thoracic surgeons, interventional pulmonologists, ear, nose and throat surgeons, and medical and radiation oncologists. Together, they create a treatment plan tailored to your condition, goals and lifestyle so you can get back to living your life.

Treatments for Complex Airway Diseases

Your treatment plan may depend on the type of airway disease you have, where it’s located and how severe it is. Whenever possible, our team’s goal is to treat your condition using the least invasive approach. Treatment options may include:

• Bronchoscopy. Many benign tumors and airway strictures can be treated during a bronchoscopy without making any incisions. Depending on your condition, your doctor may use specialized tools to remove a tumor, stretch a narrowed airway or remove scar tissue. Many of these procedures are performed in an outpatient clinic, allowing you to go home the same day.
• Minimally invasive surgery. If bronchoscopy isn’t the best option, surgery may be needed. Our surgeons use robotic techniques through small incisions to remove part of the airway while preserving healthy tissue.
• Complex airway reconstruction. Some tumors or areas of severe damage require surgeons to remove and reconstruct part of the trachea or airway. In certain cases, removing part of the lung may also be necessary if a tumor involves the airways inside the lung. And if a complex airway disease has spread to or involves the thyroid, our thoracic surgeons collaborate with ear, nose and throat specialists to remove the disease and reconstruct the airway when needed.