Airway disorders encompass a broad variety of conditions that affect the upper airway, including problems with the pharynx (back of the mouth and nose), larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (smaller airways within the lungs). Depending on what structures are involved, airway disorders can affect breathing, voice, and/or swallowing. These disorders may develop after injury or having a breathing tube, occur after treatment for another problem such as cancer, or occur due to problems such as lung or auto-immune disease.
At the University of Michigan Health Complex AIR Program, we provide comprehensive care for patients with a wide range of rare or complicated airway disorders. Our team includes leading experts in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, and Interventional Pulmonology, offering significant experience with a wide complement of procedures and surgeries for treatment of complex airway problems. We work closely with our specialized anesthesiology colleagues to guide you through your procedure as safely as possible.
Our team is supported by medical pulmonologists, rheumatologists, radiologists, speech pathologists and nurses, allowing U-M Health to optimally care for patients with a variety of conditions that may contribute to or complicate their airway problem, such as lung or auto-immune disease.
Our mission is to provide optimal individualized and patient-centered care. We leverage areas of unique expertise within our group to ensure your specific airway problem is evaluated and treated in the best way possible.
Complex AIR Program Directors:
- Jose Luis De Cardenas, MD – Interventional Pulmonology
- Kiran Hari Lagisetty, MD, FACS – Thoracic Surgery
- Robert James Morrison, MD, FACS – Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
The University of Michigan Complex AIR Program is a contributing member of the North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC).
Services
At the University of Michigan Health Complex AIR Program, we believe in individualizing each patient’s treatment plan to their circumstances, values, and unique problem, including what part of your airway is affected by the problem. Your visit will be coordinated with the physicians to best evaluate your symptoms, whether it is an otolaryngologist-head & neck surgeon, interventional pulmonologist, and/or a thoracic surgeon. Our team of specialists works closely with each other to make sure you receive the ideal treatment you need, from start to finish.
Complex airway problems require highly skilled physicians with a depth of experience treating these conditions. As a high-volume referral center both regionally and nationally, our physicians have significant experience treating these rare disorders, which translates into expert care for you. Our physicians use advanced technology and techniques to treat your airway. They are uniquely trained to perform minimally invasive (endoscopic) procedures and open reconstructive surgery. Your physician will be able to describe the treatment best suited to treat your condition.
A significant advantage of treatment at the University of Michigan Health Complex AIR Program is our multidisciplinary team. This includes a monthly meeting where patients can have the expertise of a team of different physicians providing input into their care plan without having to schedule numerous appointments. Surgeons, medical pulmonologists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, and others participate on a regular basis where we review each patient’s problem to offer consensus best treatment to our patients.
Conditions We Treat
- Amyloidosis affecting the airways
- Bronchial stenosis
- Complications of tracheostomy
- Excessive dynamic airway collapse (EDAC)
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s granulomatosis)
- Idiopathic subglottic stenosis
- Intubation related injury
- Laryngeal stenosis
- Laryngomalacia
- Laryngotracheal clefts
- Other autoimmune diseases affecting the airways
- Posterior glottic stenosis
- Relapsing polychondritis affecting the airways
- Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis
- Sarcoidosis affecting the airways
- Subglottic stenosis
- Supraglottic Stenosis
- Tracheal stenosis
- Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM)
- Tracheoesophageal fistula
- Vocal fold paralysis
Treatments We Offer
- Airway Ablation
- Balloon Dilation
- Bronchial Thermoplasty
- Cricotracheal Resection
- Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy (EBUS)
- Endoscopic Administration of Steroid and Mitomycin
- Endoscopic Dilation
- Endoscopic Resection and Mucosal Reconstitution (Maddern Procedure)
- Endoscopic Tracheobronchoplasty
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support during complex airway procedures
- In-Office Steroid Injection
- Laryngeal Microsurgery including Cordotomy/Arytenoidectomy
- Laryngotracheal Reconstruction
- Slide Tracheoplasty
- Stent Placement
- Supraglottoplasty
- T-Tube Placement and Care
- Thermal Bronchoplasty
- Tracheal Resection
- Tracheobronchial Stenting
- Tracheostomy Placement and Care
- Tumor Destruction and Control of Central Airway Bleeding
- Vocal Cord (Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve) Reinnervation
- Vocal Cord Medialization
- Vocal Cord Lateralization
Research
Our providers are pushing the forefront of research to best understand the underlying causes and develop the best treatment options for complex airway problems. We have experience developing novel, unique treatments for patients with the most challenging of problems. These include custom implant devices developed using 3D printing technology, modeling of your specific anatomy to determine best course of treatment, and other cutting-edge technologies.
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Make an Appointment
Please contact the Complex AIR Program specialty coordinator to facilitate the referral and scheduling process at 734-763-6062.
A referral order from a physician or provider is required for scheduling. Referrals can be faxed to 734-647-0195.
Our specialty coordinator will likely require prior records to best determine which members of the multi-disciplinary team should be involved in initial evaluation of the patient.