He also placed a stent, or small tube, in the trachea to keep the rib in position. In October he removed the stent, and a bronchoscopy revealed a well-healed, expanded trachea. In December he removed the tracheostomy. While she had the tracheostomy, Esther, a fifth-grader, was able to speak with the aid of a special valve. She is undergoing weekly speech therapy sessions to help her use her slightly husky voice.
Occasional monitoring is the only further treatment planned.
It's like a whole new life for her right now. Dr. Keller completed the work that Dr. Wung started.