Tracheal suspension by using 3-dimensional printed personalized scaffold in a patient with tracheomalacia

Tracheomalacia (TM) is a condition of excessive collapse of the airway during respiration that can lead to life-threatening cardiopulmonary arrests (1,2). The congenital TM is often associated with tracheoesophageal fistula/esophageal atresia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and prematurity. Secondary TM occurs from external compression by vascular structures, tumors or cysts, or internal pressure caused by prolonged endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy (3). Mild and moderate TM tends to resolve over time with growth and development of a child patient (4,5). Severe cases need to be addressed because of significant morbidity and mortality (3)