The Marshall-Smith syndrome: a review of the laryngeal complications

The Marshall-Smith syndrome is characterised by a triad of facial dysmorphism, failure to thrive and accelerated osseous maturation. We report a further case of this rare syndrome with the unusual but previously reported complication of laryngeal hypoplasia and review the associated laryngeal anomalies that have been reported to date.

Severe airway obstruction due to congenital anomalies must be excluded in any dysmorphic child presenting with respiratory distress at birth. Rapid airway assessment will enable early and appropriate intervention and may be important when deciding on the long-term plan for the infant.