Our Services

Aerodigestive Center

Description of Services

The Pediatric Aerodigestive Center is a key multidisciplinary program at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. In this subspeciality clinic, children with a variety of airway, breathing and swallowing disorders are managed using state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment techniques. The center is dedicated to medical and surgical care of children with:

disorders of the airway or voice
swallowing disorders
sleep apnea
related problems such as malnutrition and gastroesophageal reflux

The Pediatric Aerodigestive Center is supported by pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, plastic surgeons, craniofacial surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, sleep specialists, speech therapists, feeding therapists, and respiratory therapists. Occupational therapists specializing in swallowing disorders, radiologists, pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, respiratory therapy/tracheotomy education specialists and social workers provide services as needed.

The types of disorders appropriate for referral to the Center include:

severe subglottic stenosis
posterior glottic stenoses
supraglottic stenosis
combination stenoses
revision cases
stent cases
laryngeal clefts
laryngotracheoesophageal clefts
tracheal stenoses
base of tongue/epiglottic collapse
reflux diagnostic dilemmas affecting the airway
severe sleep apnea
voice/resonance dilemmas
swallowing dilemmas
failure of tracheotomy decannulation

Learn more about the advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques used to diagnose conditions and care for patients in the Center.

Referral Requirements

As a comprehensive resource center, the Pediatric Aerodigestive Center is available not only to patients, but also to referring physicians and surgeons who may request diagnoses, second opinions, treatment plans and definitive treatment.

Referrals are required from primary care physicians or other Children’s Hospital specialty services. Referrals for patients enrolled in managed care insurance plans also may require authorization from the insurance provider and primary care physician. All necessary referral and authorization forms must be received before the patient’s visit. For accurate provider numbers or more information, please call the office number listed.