Clinical aspects of the posterior glottis: a review

This paper was undertaken to distill a century of thought on the larynx, specifically in relation to the posterior glottis, an area which has only recently been recognized as a distinct part of the larynx. The review examines the following topics in relation to the posterior glottis: stenosis, granulomata, contact ulceration, reflux laryngitis, cleft larynx, aspiration and cricoarytenoid joint disease. The posterior glottis acts as a "weir" between the pharynx and larynx and so is intimately involved with diseases as they affect one area to the other. An attempt has been made to rationalize the treatments and clinical findings over the past century from the writings of many. Each section analyzes the modern and the older methods of clinical findings and treatment and provides a balance of opinion as to the most appropriate line of management for that condition. The review allows a comprehensive view of the clinical aspects of the posterior glottis to be brought into one document.