Epiglottic hypoplasia: a natural model for supraglottic laryngoplasty

Non-syndromic hypoplasia of the epiglottis presenting without symptoms at middle age is an extremely rare entity. We report a 50 years female who presented with oral ulcers and incidentally was found to have an asymptomatic rudimentary epiglottis and thickened bilateral aryepiglottic folds forming an inverted funnel shaped supraglottis protecting the airway from any aspiration. This case demonstrated a functional model of natural supraglottic laryngoplasty which can be used in treating intractable aspiration, similar to the Steam boat modification of Biller's technique of supraglottic laryngoplasty. This natural example can be used to design or scrutinize the existing models of supraglottic laryngoplasty in the treatment of intractable aspiration.