How Do Airway Malacias Present?
Discussion
Stridor is a variably pitched sound caused by increased turbulence and airflow through a narrowed part of the large airway. Usually due to narrowing of the larynx or extrathoracic trachea, stridor is usually inspiratory.
Biphasic stridor usually is due to a fixed airway obstruction at the level of the glottis or subglottis but may also extend to the mid-thoracic trachea.
Stridor is different than stertor which is a heavy-snoring, inspiratory sound occurring in coma or deep sleep, sometimes due to obstruction of the larynx or upper airways. Causes of stertor include choanal stenosis, enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, and redundant upper airway tissues above the larynx.
Causes of upper airway obstruction that can cause stridor include:
Acute laryngotracheobronchitis (i.e. croup)
Epiglottitis
Hereditary angioneurotic edema
Intubation, post-endotracheal
Laryngomalacia
Laryngeal cleft
Laryngeal cysts
Micrognathia or retrognathia
Mucus retention cysts
Subglottic stenosis
Thyroglossal duct remnant
Vocal cord paralysis – forceps delivery, Chiari malformation
Learning Point
Malacia means a softening of the tissues and is named by its location.
Laryngomalacia usually presents with noisy breathing and inspiratory stridor. There can be collapse of the arytenoids, epiglottis, and aryepiglottic folds.
Symptoms usually present around 10 days, worsen for the next several months, and then resolve by 2 years of age.
It is considered a developmental process and is usually ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Donna M. D'Alessandro, M.D. Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
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