Breakdown of the normal protective function of the larynx, either through primary or neurologic cause, leads to chronic aspiration, recurrent pneumonitis and possibly death.
Lindemann's tracheoesophageal diversion has three main advantages; first, it eliminates intractable aspiration in all patients who underwent the procedure, second, it preserves larynx, and third, if the underlying neurologic condition is
recorved,
the
procedure can be reversed.
We had performed tracheoesophageal diversion in two cases of intractable aspiration pneumonia patients. The postoperative courses were uneventful and they were receiving oral alimentation on the 22th and 9th postoperative days respectively, and
could be
discharged on 43th and 20th postoperative days respectively. (Korean J Thoracic Cardiovas Surg 1994; 27:329-332)
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