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Leaders in Thoracic Surgery

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Diseases of the airway make breathing difficult and can greatly diminish a person’s quality of life. The trachea, or windpipe, carries air into the lungs as it passes by the larynx (voice box) and through the bronchi (tubes that lead to the lungs). The Airway and Tracheal Surgery Program at Mount Sinai Medical Center provides specialized treatments for conditions affecting all parts of the airway. We offer the most comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for conditions that affect this delicate and vital area of the body.

Our skilled team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and rehabilitation therapists work with more patients who have airway and tracheal conditions each year, compared to other facilities in our region. We create customized treatment plans for every person under our care.

Conditions We Treat

This is the narrowing of the “windpipe,” and it restricts the ability to breathe properly. It can be caused by trauma to the throat, severe infections, and tumors. It can also be caused by long-term intubation, which is when doctors insert a breathing tube through the mouth and throat in order to have a mechanical ventilation machine help a patient breathe. In cases of severe extended illness, such as COVID, being on a ventilator for long periods can cause scarring within the trachea that needs to be repaired once the patient is no longer on the ventilator.

Tracheal stenosis is diagnosed with imaging, such as X-ray or CT scan, or a scope examination of the trachea, voice box, and bronchi. The method of correction varies based on the level of damage. Laser surgery can remove some damaged tissue, and a stent can be placed to widen the airway. In some cases, stenosis is corrected surgically by removing the damaged section of the trachea and reconstructing the remaining sections.

Airway & Trachea Surgeries

Our Physicians

Roy F Williams, MD

Chief, Divison of Thoracic Surgery

  • Cardiology
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Lung Cancer

Fernando Safdie, MD

Director of Endoluminal and Airway Surgery

Associate Director of Thoracic Surgery

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery

  • Robotic Surgery
  • Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Lung Cancer

Steven R DeBeer, MD

Co-Director, Aortic Center

  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Angelo La Pietra, MD

Director, Surgical Electrophysiology

  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Cardiology
  • Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Robotic Surgery
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