Question

3 month old girl, flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy for noisy breathing. 2 weeks - squeaking when lying on her back- and now more persistent. When on her stomach it improves. Pt eats well, gaining well, breast fed, and doesn't look labored to breath- no cyanosis. On flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy- all normal except intermittent collapse of the arytenoid cartilages into the airway, which worsens when crying. Vocal cords are mobile. Pt most likely makes which sound? A- Biphasic stridor B- Expiratory stridor C- Expiratory wheezing D- Inspiratory rhonchi

E- Inspiratory stridor

Answer 1

The symptoms described suggest the patient has laryngomalacia, which is commonly associated with the sound of inspiratory stridor.

Step-by-step explanation:

The signs and symptoms described in the question are suggestive of laryngomalacia, a condition characterized by the intermittent collapse of the arytenoid cartilages into the airway. The most common sound associated with this condition is Inspiratory Stridor (E), a high-pitched sound produced during inhalation due to turbulent airflow in the narrowed airway. The improvement of symptoms when the baby is on her stomach and the absence of cyanosis or respiratory distress further support this diagnosis.

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