Laryngomalacia
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Laryngomalacia
Pathology
Lower respiratory tract disorders
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Cyanide poisoning
Decompression sickness
Methemoglobinemia
Pulmonary changes at high altitude and altitude sickness
Congenital pulmonary airway malformation
Pulmonary hypoplasia
Tracheoesophageal fistula
Pneumonia
Lung cancer
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Superior vena cava syndrome
Apnea of prematurity
Meconium aspiration syndrome
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome
Transient tachypnea of the newborn
Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency
Asthma
Bronchiectasis
Chronic bronchitis
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
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Sarcoidosis
Respiratory system pathology review
Apnea, hypoventilation and pulmonary hypertension: Pathology review
Cystic fibrosis: Pathology review
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism: Pathology review
Lung cancer and mesothelioma: Pathology review
Obstructive lung diseases: Pathology review
Pleural effusion, pneumothorax, hemothorax and atelectasis: Pathology review
Pneumonia: Pathology review
Respiratory distress syndrome: Pathology review
Restrictive lung diseases: Pathology review
Tuberculosis: Pathology review
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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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