Keywords: laryngomalacia, aryepiglotoplasty, stridor

Abstract: Laryngomalacia is the commonest cause of congenital stridor. The majority of cases are mild and do not require surgical intervention. However in approximately 10 per cent of these infants the condition is life-threatening. The standard treatment for these patients has been to perform a tracheotomy. Recent reports have shown encouraging results following endoscopic surgery to the supraglotic structures. We report a series of 15 patients in whom a tracheotomy was avoided by performing an aryepiglotoplasty. Dramatic improvements were seen after surgery in the respiratory obstruction, feeding difficulties and failure to thrive. From these cases on the aryepiglotoplasty became a rotine the Otorhinolaryngology Dept. at UFU and FMSJRP, for operation at laryngomalacia.