Type I Posterior Glottic Stenosis: Natural History and In-Office Management

To review the natural history of type I posterior glottic stenosis (PGS-I) and its treatment outcomes through a case presentation and demonstrate the feasibility of in-office management of PGS-I.

The case of a middle-aged woman who developed PGS-I after prolonged intubation is presented. A review of the literature on management and treatment outcomes of PGS-I is also performed.

Initially presenting with a large granuloma that failed conservative management, the patient deferred surgical intervention and developed unilateral vocal fold hypomobility with posterior glottic synechia. The adhesion was successfully ablated in the office with potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser; however, vocal fold hypomobility persisted after treatment.

This case illustrates the natural history of the development of PGS-I, demonstrates the feasibility of office-based management of this condition, and provides further evidence that lysis of PGS-I synechia does not uniformly lead to restoration of normal laryngeal function and mobility.