Patients with syndromic craniosynostosis have the problems of the upper airway, the laryngotracheal airway and the tracheo-bronchial tree. Accurate diagnosis is very important in the evaluation of tacheo-bronchial disorder of syndromic craniosynostosis. In this study the configuration of the tracheo-bronchial system is assessed on CT and with a bronchoscope. For four years since 2002, 23 patients with syndromic craniosynostosis have undergone gradual distraction at Osaka City General Hospital. Of those, 8 cases had tracheostomy. Seven cases of syndromic craniosynostosis were examined a 3-dimentional CT of the tracheo-bronchial system and a bronchoscope. One case had to be excluded because of lack of CT records. In three cases 3 dimensional CT images and bronchoscopic findings revealed sever tracheo-bronchial stenosis. In two cases bronchoscopic findings showed tracheal cartilaginous sleeve and 3-D CT images had no finding. Two cases had no findings on these examinations. It was possible that the configuration of the tracheo-bronchial system was accurately diagnosed by the examination of both 3-D CT and a bronchoscope. It is suggested that these examinations are very useful to assess the timing of the decanulation and prognosis of respiratory function.
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