Subglottic cyst: the role of narrow-band imaging

A subglottic cyst is a rare cause of neonatal upper airway obstruction, which may be misinterpreted as a subglottic hemangioma. With the advent of narrow-band imaging, the application of its unique features in analyzing the mucosa surface's vascular structures in pediatric subglottic lesions remains to be investigated. Here, we report the case of a preterm baby who developed two subglottic cysts when he was 3-months old. Both traditional endoscopic examination and narrow-band imaging were performed pre-operatively. Both the potential impact of this new technique and the diagnosis and management of this disease are discussed.