Post intubation tracheal stenosis complications

Posted by humeraawan @humeraawan, Feb 1, 2017

I met severe road accident in October 2015. Blood was aspirated by my lungs. I was suffering from ARDS and was on ventilator for almost 7 days followed by another 4 days. After 1 month hospitalization and 1 & half month after accident I was symptomatic of tracheal stenosis. I have been using steroides for long time for temporary relief. Got Tracheal resection and reconstruction but after 18 days I was again symptomatic. Than tracheal dilatations were done at 15-20 days intervals . At last two tracheal stents were implanted almost 6 months earlier. Now I have heavy colonization of bacteria in my stents probably its not infection. It always smelling very bad while I breath, I have severe coughing, shortness of breath upon very little exertion, even talking, wheezing sound but no stroider. My doctor is probably going to change my stent but he is afraid of complications I pose during surgeries. I want to have some second opinion.

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Jamie Olson | @jamienolson | Feb 5, 2017

@humeraawan, Thank you for posting to our community on Mayo Clinic Connect. I apologize for the delay in response. I'm sorry you are having complications, this must be really tough. I agree with you about getting a second opinion and taking the time to make a decision that will impact your daily living for the rest of your life.
Please use this link for making an appointment at Mayo Clinic .http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63 for your second opinion. At Mayo Clinic you will witness health care collaboration at it's best.
Also,If you are interested, here is some information on Laryngotracheal reconstruction from the Mayo Clinic http://mayocl.in/2kfMkSU

I would like to introduce you to @brookssh, a community member, who has also experienced trachea dilation.

@humeraawan, I wish you the best with your Health care decisions and recovery! Could you tell me is your surgeon an ENT physician? With the area having an odor, is there anything that helps or days you notice it's less than others?

brookssh | @brookssh | Feb 5, 2017

In reply to @jamienolson "@humeraawan, Thank you for posting to our community on Mayo Clinic Connect. I apologize for the..." + (show)

Thank you so much for your reply. My ENT surgeon is Ashley O'Rourke at MUSC in Charleston, SC. For seven years we have been doing dilation, CO2 laser and steroid injections, hoping that the stenosis would "give up" and that it would not get so inflamed causing me to have bi-annual dilations.
I have been following the protocol of Nexium, Flonase and just recently Flovent. Good news is that for the first time, I have now made it to nine months without need for dilation. We believe that the combination of all treatments above may now be having a positive effect. I have avoided resection due to the "big" nature of the surgery and recuperative period, along with the fact that I could re-stenos. Looking to see if anyone out there has had other positive treatments. I have been to Mayo before to discuss Wegener's and polycondritis, which I am negative for, but may still seek out second opinions about stenosis, inflammation and vocal cord dysfunction. does anyone know who the guru at Mayo is for ISS?