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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing
Published on: December 1, 2023
[Etiology of inspiratory laryngeal stridor in children]
Lan Li1, Zhi-xiong Xian, Yue-jie Zheng
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen 518026, China. drlil@163.com
Insights
The causes of inspiratory laryngeal stridor in children are complex, with acute laryngitis and laryngomalacia being most common. Video laryngoscopy aids diagnosis in most cases, improving treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Otolaryngology
Context:
- Inspiratory laryngeal stridor is a common presenting symptom in pediatric patients.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management and improved patient outcomes.
Purpose:
- To retrospectively analyze the various etiologies of inspiratory laryngeal stridor in children.
- To enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic success rates for this condition.
Summary:
- A retrospective analysis of 378 children with inspiratory laryngeal stridor revealed diverse causes, including acute laryngitis (140 cases) and laryngomalacia (117 cases).
- Diagnostic tools such as chest X-ray, CT scans, video laryngoscopy, and bronchofibroscopy were utilized.
- Most cases were successfully treated, with exceptions including congenital tracheomalacia and laryngeal papilloma.
Impact:
- Highlights the complexity of pediatric inspiratory laryngeal stridor etiology.
- Recommends video laryngoscopy as a primary diagnostic tool for non-inflammatory conditions.
- Suggests the judicious use of CT scans and bronchofibroscopy for complex cases.
Objective:
Retrospective analysis was performed on the etiology of inspiratory laryngeal stridor in children. The purpose is to raise the diagnosis and cure rate of the disease.
Methods:
All patients were hospitalized in Children's Hospital from Jan, 2005 to Jan, 2007. Among of them, 245 cases were male and 133 cases were female. The median age was 4 months (range from 12 hours to 30 months). All the patients had chest X-ray examination. Two hundred and eighteen cases received chest CT scan, video laryngoscope, direct laryngoscope and bronchofibroscopy.
Results:
The diagnosis were as follows: acute laryngitis (140 cases), laryngomalacia (117 cases), acute laryngotracheal bronchitis (54 cases), vocal cord paralysis (18 cases), congenital tracheomalacia (9 cases), congenital laryngeal webs (8 cases), congenital cleft of larynx (6 cases), laryngeal cyst (6 cases), laryngeal papilloma (6 cases), acute epiglottitis (4 cases), congenital infraglottic stenosis (3 cases), tracheobronchial foreign body (3 cases), cysts thyrolinguals (1 case). All cases were cured except congenital tracheomalacia (9 cases), congenital cleft of larynx (6 cases), laryngeal papilloma (6 cases), congenital infraglottic (3 cases).
Conclusions:
The etiology of inspiratory laryngeal stridor in children are very complicated. Video laryngoscope is recommended for all cases except for the acute inflammation disease. Chest CT scan and bronchofibroscopy may be necessary for some cases.
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