Surgery for total congenital tracheal stenosis.

A 4 1/2-month-old boy with complete tracheal rings throughout the entire trachea and agenesis of the right lung was successfully treated by operative insertion of a cartilagenous graft extending the length of his trachea. The commonly held viewpoint that this lesion is not surgically correctable and these infants will all die, can no longer be supported. Surgical repair should be strongly considered in all these children in the future.