Laryngomalacia
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Laryngomalacia
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
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Bitemporal hemianopsia
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Color blindness
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Diabetic retinopathy
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Hemianopsia
Homonymous hemianopsia
Retinal detachment
Neonatal conjunctivitis
Retinoblastoma
Retinopathy of prematurity
Corneal ulcer
Periorbital cellulitis
Uveitis
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Orbital cellulitis
Hordeolum (stye)
Conjunctivitis
Neonatal conjunctivitis
Nasal and nasopharyngeal disorders
Allergic rhinitis
Choanal atresia
Nasal polyps
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Thyroid and parathyroid gland disorders
Thyroglossal duct cyst
Thyroid cancer
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypoparathyroidism
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat pathology review
Eye conditions: Inflammation, infections and trauma: Pathology review
Eye conditions: Refractive errors, lens disorders and glaucoma: Pathology review
Eye conditions: Retinal disorders: Pathology review
Nasal, oral and pharyngeal diseases: Pathology review
Parathyroid disorders and calcium imbalance: Pathology review
Thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer: Pathology review
Vertigo: Pathology review
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Laryngomalacia
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Laryngomalacia
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“Laryngo” refers to the larynx and “malacia” refers to a body tissue that is soft, so laryngomalacia is a developmental condition where the larynx doesn’t form correctly and ends up being soft and floppy.
Normally, the epiglottis, a flap of cartilage located just above the vocal cords, makes a firm arc over the airway.
It’s connected to the larynx by cartilaginous structures called aryepiglottic folds.
In children born with laryngomalacia, the aryepiglottic folds are shorter than normal, so they pull the normally arc-shaped epiglottis down into a distinctive omega shape.
Weak laryngeal muscle tone is thought to cause the condition, but the exact mechanism isn’t well understood.
The cartilaginous tissues are also softer than normal, so they flop into the airway.
That means that when the child breathes, that floppy structure gets sucked into the airway, causing stridor which is a high-pitched, whistling sound during breathing.
In some cases the obstruction of the airway can be so bad that it can make breathing difficult.
Sources
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Twentieth Edition (Vol.1 & Vol.2)" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine 8E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2019)
- "Familial laryngomalacia: A case report" The Laryngoscope (1976)
- "Autosomal dominant congenital laryngomalacia" American Journal of Medical Genetics (1992)
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