ABSTRACT
Congenital supraglottic airway obstruction includes laryngomalacia, vallecular cysts, and saccular cysts. Symptoms include inspiratory stridor, airway obstruction, and feeding difficulties.
LARYNGOMALACIA Definition and clinical features Laryngomalacia is the most common cause of stridor in the newborn. It is characterized by a prolapse of the supraglottic structures (arytenoids, epiglottis) into the airway with inspiration. The exact cause in the neonate is not clearly defined at present and may be multifactorial. The airway obstruction is variable and may lead to significant feeding
difficulties such as aspiration and failure to thrive. There may be an association with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as well.
