Learn About Acquired Tracheomalacia
Acquired 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.
Secondary tracheomalacia
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 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
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.
Harvard Medical Faculty Phys At Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr Inc
Adnan Majid is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Brighton, Massachusetts. Dr. Majid is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acquired Tracheomalacia. His top areas of expertise are Tracheobronchomalacia, Pleural Effusion, Acquired Tracheomalacia, Advanced Bronchoscopy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Majid is currently accepting new patients.
Regents Of The University Of Michigan
Glenn Green is a Pediatric Otolaryngologist and a Pediatrics provider in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Green is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acquired Tracheomalacia. His top areas of expertise are Tracheobronchomalacia, Acquired Tracheomalacia, CHARGE Syndrome, Adenoidectomy, and Myringotomy. Dr. Green is currently accepting new patients.
Barnabas Health Medical Group PC
Richard Lazzaro is a Thoracic Surgeon and a General Surgeon in Long Branch, New Jersey. Dr. Lazzaro is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acquired Tracheomalacia. His top areas of expertise are Tracheobronchomalacia, Acquired Tracheomalacia, Lung Cancer, Thymectomy, and Endoscopy.
Aspiration pneumonia (a lung infection) can occur from breathing in food or saliva.
Adults who develop tracheomalacia after being on a breathing machine often have serious lung problems.
Contact your health care provider if you or your child breathes in an abnormal way. Tracheomalacia can become an urgent or emergency condition.
Summary: This study will investigate the role of a portable Continues Positive Airway Pressure device (pCPAP) in management of patients with symptomatic Excessive Central Airway Collapse (ECAC). ECAC is characterised by complete or partial collapse of central airways on exhalation. In some cases, this can cause persistent breathlessness and severely limited exercise capacity. Current treatment options for ...
Published Date: April 05, 2025
Published 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.
Finder JD. Bronchomalacia and tracheomalacia. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 437.
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.