Unilateral vs. bilateral supraglottoplasty for severe laryngomalacia in children.
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy of unilateral supraglottoplasty in comparison with bilateral supraglottoplasty for the treatment of severe laryngomalacia in children and to study factors that may be predictive of major complications or the need for a subsequent contralateral or revision procedure.


METHODS
Retrospective medical record review.


METHODS
University tertiary care pediatric hospital.


METHODS
One hundred six consecutive pediatric patients, aged 9 days to 18 years, who had undergone unilateral or bilateral supraglottoplasty for severe laryngomalacia.


METHODS
Resolution of clinically significant laryngomalacia, development of major complications (supraglottic stenosis or aspiration), and an association between study variables (demographics, medical comorbidities, synchronous airway abnormalities, sites of excision, and techniques of excision) and the need for subsequent contralateral or revision supraglottoplasty.


RESULTS
We achieved a high success rate (95.7%), a low complication rate (8.5%), and observed the need for a contralateral procedure in 7 (14.9%) of the 47 patients who underwent initial unilateral supraglottoplasty. Two patients who underwent initial bilateral supraglottoplasty developed supraglottic stenosis. No significant association existed between our study variables and the development of complications or the need for contralateral or revision supraglottoplasty.


CONCLUSIONS
Unilateral supraglottoplasty was associated with a high success rate, low complication rate, and the avoidance of supraglottic stenosis in our study population. The percentage of patients requiring a subsequent contralateral procedure was comparable to that reported in the literature, and no major complications were associated with the second operation in these patients. Therefore, unilateral supraglottoplasty seems to be a reasonable option for initial surgical management of pediatric patients with severe laryngomalacia.
Reddy
D K
DK
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, 1904 TC, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0312, USA. kdreddy@umich.edu
Matt
B H
BH
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007830:Larynx / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008297:Male; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012189:Retrospective Studies