Two Cases of Post-intubation Laryngotracheal Stenosis Occurring after Severe COVID-19

Intern Med. 2021 Feb 1;60(3):473-477. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.6105-20. Epub 2020 Dec 15.

Abstract

We experienced two cases of post-intubation laryngotracheal stenosis (PILS) occurring in patients after acute coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 in a relatively narrow time period. The patients required mechanical ventilation for 9 days in one and 28 days in the other. In both cases, the patients were discharged but later developed symptoms of cough and dyspnea, which were later diagnosed as PILS. Persistent cough and dyspnea are common symptoms in both PILS and the recovery phase of severe COVID-19. For this reason, PILS should be considered in the differential diagnosis post-COVID-19 patients. In addition, the prevalence of PILS may be greater than that of other critical diseases in severe COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease 19; mechanical ventilation; post-intubation laryngotracheal stenosis; tracheal stenosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19 / complications*
  • Cough / etiology
  • Dyspnea / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intubation, Intratracheal / adverse effects*
  • Laryngoscopy
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Respiration, Artificial
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Trachea / diagnostic imaging
  • Tracheal Stenosis / diagnosis
  • Tracheal Stenosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Tracheal Stenosis / etiology*