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Central airway stabilization with silicone stents can improve respiratory symptoms in patients with severe symptomatic tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) but is associated with a relatively high rate of complications. Surgery with posterior tracheobronchial splinting using a polypropylene mesh has also been used for this condition but to date has not been evaluated prospectively and objectively for patient outcomes.

To evaluate the effect of surgical tracheobronchoplasty on symptoms, functional status, quality of life, lung function, and exercise capacity in patients with severe and symptomatic TBM.

A prospective observational study in which baseline measurements were compared to those obtained 3 months after surgical tracheobronchoplasty.

Of 104 referred patients to our complex airway center for severe TBM, 77 had baseline measurements. Of this group …