Always perform aggressive medical therapy when treating tracheal collapse.
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“Aggressive medical therapy always is performed before any more invasive techniques, because these treatments (rings or stents) are basically salvage procedures associated with considerable risk to the patient. Other concurrent conditions, such as underlying pulmonary, cardiac, laryngeal/upper airway and endocrine diseases should be managed before invasive tracheal procedures are considered.”
-Chick Weisse, VMD, DACVS
From Surgery STAT: Tracheal collapse: rings or stents?