BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTracheomalacia - acquiredSecondary tracheomalaciaAcquired tracheomalacia is a weakness and floppiness of the walls of the windpipe (trachea, or airway). It develops after birth.Congenital tracheomalacia is a related topic.Congenital tracheomalaciaCongenital tracheomalacia is weakness and floppiness of the walls of the windpipe (trachea). Congenital means it is present at birth. Acquired trac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Acquired tracheomalacia is very uncommon at any age. It occurs when normal cartilage in the wall of the windpipe begins to break down.This form of tracheomalacia may result:When large blood vessels put pressure on the airway As a complication after surgery to repair birth defects in the windpipe and esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach) After having a breathing tube or trachea tube (tracheostomy) for a long time Symptoms Symptoms of tracheomalacia include:Breathing problems that get worse with coughing, crying, or upper respiratory infections, such as a cold Breathing noises that may change when body position changes, and improve during sleep High-pitched breathing Rattling, noisy breaths Exams and Tests A physical exam confirms the symptoms. A chest x-ray may show narrowing of the trachea when breathing out. Even if the x-ray is normal, it is needed to rule out other problems.A procedure called a laryngoscopy is used to diagnose the condition. This procedure allows the otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor, or ENT) to see the structure of the airway and determine how severe the problem is.Other tests may include:Airway fluoroscopy Barium swallow Bronchoscopy BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan Lung function tests Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Treatment The condition may improve without treatment. However, people with tracheomalacia must be monitored closely when they have respiratory infections.Adults with breathing problems may need continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Rarely, surgery is needed. A hollow tube called a stent may be placed to hold the airway open.Continuous positive airway pressurePositive airway pressure (PAP) treatment uses a machine to pump air under pressure into the airway of the lungs. This helps keep the windpipe open d...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article StentA stent is a tiny tube placed into a hollow structure in your body. This structure can be an artery, a vein, or another structure, such as the tube ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Possible Complications Aspiration pneumonia (a lung infection) can occur from breathing in food or saliva.Aspiration pneumoniaPneumonia is inflammation (swelling) and infection of the lungs or large airways. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food or liquid is breathed into th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Adults who develop tracheomalacia after being on a breathing machine often have serious lung problems. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you or your child breathes in an abnormal way. Tracheomalacia can become an urgent or emergency condition.Open ReferencesReferencesFinder JD. Bronchomalacia and tracheomalacia. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 416.Green GE, Ohye RG. Diagnosis and management of tracheal anomalies and tracheal stenosis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 210.Little BP. Tracheal diseases. In: Walker CM, Chung JH, eds. Muller's Imaging of the Chest. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 56.AllVideoImagesTogRespiratory system overview - illustration Air is breathed in through the nasal passageways, travels through the trachea and bronchi to the lungs.Respiratory system overviewillustrationRespiratory system overview - illustration Air is breathed in through the nasal passageways, travels through the trachea and bronchi to the lungs.Respiratory system overviewillustrationRelated Information Review Date: 4/25/2023 Reviewed By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. 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Tracheomalacia - acquiredSecondary tracheomalaciaAcquired tracheomalacia is a weakness and floppiness of the walls of the windpipe (trachea, or airway). It develops after birth.Congenital tracheomalacia is a related topic.Congenital tracheomalaciaCongenital tracheomalacia is weakness and floppiness of the walls of the windpipe (trachea). Congenital means it is present at birth. Acquired trac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Acquired tracheomalacia is very uncommon at any age. It occurs when normal cartilage in the wall of the windpipe begins to break down.This form of tracheomalacia may result:When large blood vessels put pressure on the airway As a complication after surgery to repair birth defects in the windpipe and esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach) After having a breathing tube or trachea tube (tracheostomy) for a long time Symptoms Symptoms of tracheomalacia include:Breathing problems that get worse with coughing, crying, or upper respiratory infections, such as a cold Breathing noises that may change when body position changes, and improve during sleep High-pitched breathing Rattling, noisy breaths Exams and Tests A physical exam confirms the symptoms. A chest x-ray may show narrowing of the trachea when breathing out. Even if the x-ray is normal, it is needed to rule out other problems.A procedure called a laryngoscopy is used to diagnose the condition. This procedure allows the otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor, or ENT) to see the structure of the airway and determine how severe the problem is.Other tests may include:Airway fluoroscopy Barium swallow Bronchoscopy BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan Lung function tests Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Treatment The condition may improve without treatment. However, people with tracheomalacia must be monitored closely when they have respiratory infections.Adults with breathing problems may need continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Rarely, surgery is needed. A hollow tube called a stent may be placed to hold the airway open.Continuous positive airway pressurePositive airway pressure (PAP) treatment uses a machine to pump air under pressure into the airway of the lungs. This helps keep the windpipe open d...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article StentA stent is a tiny tube placed into a hollow structure in your body. This structure can be an artery, a vein, or another structure, such as the tube ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Possible Complications Aspiration pneumonia (a lung infection) can occur from breathing in food or saliva.Aspiration pneumoniaPneumonia is inflammation (swelling) and infection of the lungs or large airways. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food or liquid is breathed into th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Adults who develop tracheomalacia after being on a breathing machine often have serious lung problems. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you or your child breathes in an abnormal way. Tracheomalacia can become an urgent or emergency condition.Open ReferencesReferencesFinder JD. Bronchomalacia and tracheomalacia. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 416.Green GE, Ohye RG. Diagnosis and management of tracheal anomalies and tracheal stenosis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 210.Little BP. Tracheal diseases. In: Walker CM, Chung JH, eds. Muller's Imaging of the Chest. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 56.