What is Acquired Tracheomalacia?

When weakness and floppiness of the windpipe's walls, are trachea, occurs after birth it is called acquired tracheomalacia. At birth and it is called congenital tracheomalacia. It is an uncommon condition, and happens with the cartilage breaking down. It may result as a complication to surgical repair, after having a breathing tube a long time, or from pressure on the airway from large blood vessels.

Symptoms

Some signs of acquired tracheomalacia include rattling or noisy breathing, high pitched breathing, and breathing issues that worsen with crying, coughing, or with upper respiratory infections. Other signs include breathing noise that alters with position and will improve when sleeping.

Diagnosis

Chest x-rays and physical exams can show some of the symptoms and a narrowing of the trachea. Other tests that could be ordered to help diagnose this condition are laryngoscopy, CT scan, MRI, lung function tests, bronchoscopy, airway fluoroscopy, and barium swallow.

Treatment

There may be improvement even without treatment, but all with this condition will need monitoring when there is a respiratory infection. Surgery, stents, or continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, may be needed for some adults.

Some of the complications from acquired tracheomalacia include aspiration pneumonia when food is breathed into the body. Those that get the condition from being on a breathing machine for a long period of time may get serious lung problems. Always see your healthcare provider if you start breathing in an abnormal way. This can quickly become an emergency situation.

Source: A.D.A.M.