Laryngotracheomalacia

Background

Laryngotracheomalacia is a congenital narrowing of the larygeal cartilage that causes upper airway obstruction and problems with swallowing. It is the most common cause of stridor in infancy. Laryngotracheomalacia typically affects the epiglottis and/or arytenoid cartilages. When the epiglottis is usually folds in on itself because it is abnormally elongated, and the arytenoid cartilages are abnormally large. Because the misshapen epiglottis does not function properly, it can prolapse during inspiration, causing a high pitched "stridor".