The Yield of Laryngeal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Laryngomalacia

The Yield of Laryngeal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Laryngomalacia

The hypothesis of the study is that laryngeal US can accurately and reliably diagnose laryngomalacia in infants with congenital stridor.

Stridor is a respiratory noise caused by partial obstruction of the large airways at the level of the pharynx, larynx and/or trachea. The most prevalent congenital cause of stridor is laryngomalacia. Flexible laryngobronchoscopy (FLB) under sedation is regarded as the gold standard. However, FLB under sedation has some drawbacks as it requires venous access, use of sedative agents, may cause discomfort for the patient and is costly.

Ultrasound (US) is a noninvasive, painless, radiation free, well tolerated imaging technique. It allows for dynamic assessment of moving structures in an awake patient and the results can be easily displayed and recorded.

Inclusion Criteria:

Infants referred for FLB and bronchoscopy due to congenital stridor at the Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior knowledge of the cause for stridor
• History of foreign body aspiration