Laryngomalacia in a follow-up of a child development cohort for antecedents of perinatal encephalopathy. Implications for nosologic conceptualization

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 10 cases of congenital laryngeal stridor. Reports of laryngeal endoscopy and diagnosis define laryngomalacia as laryngeal flaccidity and stridor. Some authors postulate that in addition to immaturity of cartilage, there exist the possibility of laryngeal uncoordination and dyskinesia. They support this idea in cases of late presentation, neurological damage, and atypical cases related with functional state or anesthesia. Laryngeal endoscopies were carried out in 10 cases included in a cohort of subjects from a longitudinal follow-up diagnosed with neurologica damage of perinatal origin. One case was diagnosed with postoperative unilateral paralysis of vocal chord and another identified vascular ring. The eight remaining cases fulfilled laryngomalacia criteria of diagnosis, but because of their characteristics origin is not an anatomic alteration but a functional hypotonia. The need to carry out an integral study to describe co-morbidity is emphasized.