Laryngeal and Tracheobronchial Stenosis

Review by K Khan
Carlisle, UK

After passing the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons exam about a year ago and securing my first consultant post, I thought I could take a breather from books. How wrong I was! Liam asked me if I could review a new book edited by our colleagues in London. The title intrigued me and I agreed.

Laryngeal and Tracheobronchial Stenosis is an excellent resource covering a very important aspect of laryngology. Editors Guri Sandhu and Reza Nouraei, who both work at The National Centre for Airway Reconstruction in London, have done a commendable job. They have managed to bring together a group of experts in this field and have produced a comprehensive guide covering all aspects of the disease.

There are 30 well-written chapters. The text is complimented by easy to read graphs, charts and colour photographs. I would consider it an atlas of airway reconstruction. The book starts with the history of airway surgery, and then goes on to describe anatomy and physiology of the larynx and trachea. Guri and Reza Nouraei have written the chapter on pathophysiology of laryngotracheal stenosis. They have presented their experience of modern laryngotracheal case mix at their centre.

The chapter on assessment of patients and outcomes will be of interest to both the established surgeon and trainee. It was very interesting to read the timeline of a patient with subglottic stenosis who was misdiagnosed and mistreated for adult-onset asthma.

This should be a reference book for those who have a special interest in airway reconstruction. Those who want to set up a specialised airway service should read the chapter written by Khalid Ghufoor. The chapter on transplantation and regeneration of the trachea takes the reader through all available options, and gives in-depth details of each. There have been reports on bioengineered tracheas elsewhere, but Professor Delaere gives us a cautious reminder that the trachea is not just a simple hollow structure. It has a complex morphology, and the ultimate challenge is to overcome barriers to regeneration of the epithelium in full thickness mucosal defects.

I would ordinarily mention an alternative title to the book I am reviewing, but there are none in this case. I enjoyed reading this book and would highly recom- mend it to fellow colleagues and trainees.

Amazon Link: Laryngeal and Tracheobronchial Stenosis
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