Search

Stridor is a symptom of upper airway obstruction and may result from congenital or acquired causes. The diagnosis is usually clinical. If further investigation is necessary for differential diagnosis, endoscopy is the method of choice in most cases. Imaging studies are complementary to endoscopy. They allow evaluation of laryngeal and tracheobronchial pathology and extrinsic airway compressions due to tumors or vascular malformations and define a lesion's location, extent, and characteristics. They are helpful in cases of diagnostic doubt and when endoscopy is unavailable. It is essential to understand the anatomy and pathophysiology of the respiratory tract and to be aware of the indications and limitations of complementary examinations for proper diagnosis. The different imaging modalities available to evaluate stridor in pediatrics are described, and their advantages are discussed., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

The larynx is at the aerodigestive crossroads; any pathology that involves it will have an impact on breathing, swallowing and/or the voice. It`s divided into three regions: supraglottis (includes epiglottis, ventricular bands and laryngeal ventricles), glottis (space limited by the vocal cords) and subglottis (narrowest area of pediatric airway and the only point of larynx completely surrounded by cartilage: the cricoid ring). Laryngeal obstruction can present as a potentially fatal acute condition or as a chronic process. The main symptom is inspiratory or biphasic stridor. The etiology varies widely according to age and it may be of congenital, inflammatory, infectious, traumatic, neoplastic or iatrogenic origin. We describe the pathologies that cause laryngeal obstruction, either those that occur very often or those which are important for their severity, their guiding symptoms to the presumptive diagnosis, additional studies and treatment., Competing Interests: None., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)