Surgical treatment of laryngomalacia

Laryngomalacia is the most common laryngeal anomaly affecting newborns. It is usually characterized by short aryepiglottic folds, a tightly curled epiglottis, redundant soft tissue overlying the accessory cartilages, and reduced laryngeal tone. It most often presents with high-pitched inspiratory stridor that worsens with feeding, supine positioning, and exertion. Most cases are mild and may be treated successfully with medical and conservative management. More severe cases are often treated with surgical management. This article reviews the indications for surgery and describes various surgical techniques for treatment of laryngomalacia.