Laryngomalacia

Aka: Laryngomalacia, Larynx Chondromalacia

advertisement

II. Epidemiology

  1. Most common cause of chronic Stridor in infants
  2. Onset within first month of life and continues until 18-24 months of age

III. Pathophysiology

  1. Congenital disorder in infants resulting in Noisy Breathing
  2. Weak Larynx that collapses with inspiration, leading to partial airway obstruction and Stridor

IV. Signs

  1. Inspiratory Stridor
  2. Provocative factors (Increases Stridor)
    1. Crying or other Agitation
    2. Exertion
    3. Feeding
    4. Upper Respiratory Infection
  3. Palliative factors (Decreases Stridor)
    1. Prone position
    2. Neck extension
  4. Severe obstructive signs (rare)
    1. Failure to Thrive
    2. Apnea
    3. Cyanosis
    4. Pulmonary Hypertension

V. Associated Conditions

  1. Poor feeding and poor weight gain (88% of cases)
    1. Suck-swallow-breath sequence is poorly coordinated in moderate to severe Laryngomalacia

VI. Diagnosis

  1. Typically diagnosed on clinical features alone
  2. Bronchoscopy
    1. Indicated in severe cases

VII. Course

  1. Onset of symptoms in first month of life
    1. Severe cases present in the first 2 weeks of life
  2. Self limited (resolves spontaneously by 18-24 months in most cases)
  3. Rarely progresses to severe obstruction

VIII. Management

  1. Reassurance
  2. Control Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
  3. Surgery (Epiglottoplasty or Supraglottoplasty)
    1. Indications in Severe Obstruction (rarely indicated)
      1. Significant Respiratory Distress
      2. Apnea
      3. Failure to Thrive
    2. Supraglottoplasty
      1. Effective in 80% of cases in improving Swallowing and decreasing aspiration risk

IX. References

  1. Dahan, Campbell and Melville (2020) Crit Dec Emerg Med 34(11): 3-10
  2. Nussbaum (1990) Chest 98:942-4 [PubMed]

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

These images are a random sampling from a Bing search on the term "Laryngomalacia." Click on the image (or right click) to open the source website in a new browser window. Search Bing for all related images

Related Studies

Ontology: Laryngomalacia (C0264303)

Definition (MSH) A congenital or acquired condition of underdeveloped or degeneration of CARTILAGE in the LARYNX. This results in a floppy laryngeal wall making patency difficult to maintain.
Definition (MSHCZE) Nedostatečná tuhost hrtanové příklopky, zejm. v postranních částech, způsobená opožděnou chondrifikací. Příklopka je stočená, aryepiglotické řasy jsou blízko sebe a ve fázi vdechu dochází k jejich nasávání do průsvitu hrtanového vchodu. Vibrováním řas vzniká inspirační šelest (stridor) připomínající zvuk vrkání holuba. Může se projevit ihned po narození, nejč. je však patrný až po několika týdnech, vzrůstá v období mezi 6. a 9. měsícem života, poté slábne a mizí kolem 2. roku života dítěte. Vrozená afekce neohrožuje vývoj dítěte, ani jeho zdraví. Příčina opožděné chrondrifikace není známa. (cit. Velký lékařský slovník online, 2013 http://lekarske.slovniky.cz/ )
Definition (NCI) A usually congenital abnormality characterized by softening of the laryngeal cartilage. It presents in infancy with stridor.
Concepts Congenital Abnormality (T019)
MSH D055092
SnomedCT 204541007, 38086007
English LARYNGOMALACIA, laryngomalacia, laryngomalacia (diagnosis), Laryngomalacia, Larynx Chondromalacia, Larynx Chondromalacias, Chondromalacia of Larynx, Laryngomalacias, Laryngomalacia [Disease/Finding], Laryngomalacia (disorder)
Japanese ｺｳﾄｳﾅﾝｶｼｮｳ, 喉頭軟化症, 喉頭軟骨軟化, 喉頭軟骨軟化症
Czech Laryngomalacie, laryngomalacie, stridor laryngis congenitus, kongenitální laryngomalacie
Spanish Laringomalacia, Condromalacia de la Laringe, laringomalacia (trastorno), laringomalacia
French Chondromalacie du larynx, Laryngomalacie
Italian Condromalacia della laringe, Laringomalacia
Russian LARINGOMALIATSIIA, KHONDROMALIATSIIA GORTANI, ЛАРИНГОМАЛЯЦИЯ, ХОНДРОМАЛЯЦИЯ ГОРТАНИ
German Chondromalazie, Kehlkopf, Laryngomalazie
Portuguese Laringomalácia, Condromalacia da Laringe, Laringomalacia
Swedish Laryngomalaci
Polish Wiotkość krtani, Laryngomalacja
Hungarian Laryngomalacia
Norwegian Brusksykdom i struperøret, Laryngomalaci, Laryngomalasi
Dutch laryngomalacie
Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Related Topics in Pulmonology

advertisement

2025 Family Practice Notebook, LLC. Terms | Privacy | About | Site Map | Newsletter | Blog

Footer Site Logo