Our Services and Procedures

A family-centered surgical program

The Aerodigestive and Airway Reconstruction Center’s family-centered model reduces the burden on patients and their families as they juggle multiple clinic visits, diagnostic tests and operating room procedures that are often required in the management of complex airway conditions, swallowing problems and esophageal diseases.

To most effectively and compassionately assist families, the Aerodigestive and Airway Reconstruction Center provides:

  • Assistance from a caring and personable scheduler.
  • A pre-visit phone interview with a specialized nurse practitioner.
  • A complete review of medical records.
  • Comprehensive same-day visits in one clinic space with experts from fields including otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ENT), pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, pediatric surgery, and speech language pathology.
  • If needed, diagnostic testing, including swallow studies, breathing evaluations, chest imaging, laboratory tests and sleep studies.
  • Coordinated medical procedures that reduce the need for multiple sedation and anesthetic exposures.
  • A team consensus that features a working diagnosis, an explanation of treatment options and a comprehensive and organized treatment plan.
  • Consultations with other services such as social workers and nutritionists, available if needed.
  • An approach that has the ability to reduce overall procedural costs; increase the precision, efficiency, and quality of care; and minimize time off from work and school for patients and their family.
  • Communication with your child’s pediatrician, therapists, school district, and other health care team members.

Center for Pediatric Voice and Swallowing Disorders

Stanford Children’s Health is also home to the Center for Pediatric Voice and Swallowing Disorders, one of the most advanced specialty clinics in California. Otolaryngologists and speech pathologists in this clinic use modern techniques and software to analyze the child’s voice, assess swallowing function and diagnose and treat the child’s condition. Practitioners in this clinic often work closely with the pediatric aerodigestive team throughout every step of your child’s care.

The Pediatric Vocal Cord Dysfunction Clinic, part of the Voice and Swallowing Program, treats patients with paradoxical fold motion disorder, a rare but bothersome breathing problem.  This can sometimes be diagnosed with an in-office procedure called flexible laryngoscopy. It is best to perform the laryngoscopy when the patient is having symptoms. In an effort to bring on the symptoms the patient will often be asked to run, do jumping jacks or other exercises during the visit. While the scope is in the nose, and the vocal cords are visible on the monitor, the speech pathologist will teach the patient and family how to relax the vocal folds.

Learn more about our Voice and Swallowing Program >

Services and procedures

Airway Reconstruction and Otolaryngology

  • Airway dilation
  • Complex laryngotracheal reconstruction
  • Flexible nasolaryngoscopy
  • Rigid laryngeal stroboscopy
  • Exercise testing for vocal cord dysfunction and paradoxical vocal fold motion disorder
  • Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES)
  • Laryngotracheal cleft repair
  • Laryngotracheal reconstruction with cartilage grafting
  • Laryngeal reinnervation procedures
  • Laryngeal stroboscopy
  • Microdirect laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy
  • Microlaryngeal phonosurgery
  • Posterior cricoid reduction laryngoplasty
  • Removal of airway papillomas, cysts, and tumors
  • Slide tracheoplasty
  • Supraglottoplasty
  • Surgical treatment of upper airway obstruction or sleep apnea
  • Surgical treatment of tracheal stenosis
  • Tracheostomy training and follow up support
  • Tracheal resection and cricotracheal resection
  • Tracheostomy placement and decannulation
  • Vocal fold medialization laryngoplasty
  • EXIT and fetal airway management

Speech Language Pathology

  • Instrumental evaluation of swallow (VFSS and/or FEES)
  • Clinical feeding evaluation
  • Evaluation of voice, resonance, and speech
  • Instrumental evaluation of voice/resonance:
    • Acoustic/aerodynamic measures of voice resonance
    • Videostroboscopy of vocal fold function
    • Nasopharyngoscopy of velopharyngeal function

Gastrointestinal

  • Enteral nutrition training and follow-up support
  • Evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux
  • Endoscopic evaluation of gastrointestinal tract
  • Gastrointestinal tract imaging

Pediatric General Surgery

  • Anti-reflux procedures
  • Gastrostomy tube placement
  • Surgical treatment of achalasia (dilation, laparoscopic myotomy, peroral endoscopic myotomy [POEM])
  • Thoracoscopic and open tracheoesophageal atresia repair
  • Esophageal dilations
  • Esophageal reconstruction
  • Redo esophageal and gastric operations
  • Thoracoscopic and open pulmonary lobectomy

Pulmonary

  • Airway clearance treatment training and follow-up support
  • Assisted ventilation
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Lung function testing and exercise laboratory
  • Lung imaging
  • Oxygen therapy
  • Sleep studies (polysomnograms)