title: The effects of prematurity on incidence of aspiration following supraglottoplasty for laryngomalacia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if patients who were born premature have a higher incidence of aspiration following supraglottoplasty compared to patients born full term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two thousand three hundred sixty (2360) patient charts from Riley Hospital for Children were reviewed retrospectively. Patients had already been treated for laryngomalacia with supraglottoplasty by Dr. Bruce Matt. Estimated weeks gestational age at birth was recorded for each patient. Prematurity was stratified as mild (32-36 weeks gestational age [WGA]), very (28-31 WGA), or extremely (<28 WGA). Patients were excluded from the study if they had suspected aspiration with chronic cough, pneumonia, chronic lung disease, or documented aspiration prior to supraglottoplasty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As previously shown, 75 patients (3.2%) had aspiration following supraglottoplasty. Twenty of these patients were preterm infants at birth. The rate for aspiration following supraglottoplasty for former premature infants was statistically significant (5.9%, odds ratio = 2.3, P = .0032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children who were born premature have a higher rate of postoperative aspiration following supraglottoplasty; however, supraglottoplasty should still be considered as treatment for laryngomalacia as the rate is still relatively low (5.9%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Lauren C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Anderson de Moreno
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Matt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D005931:Glottis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D055092:Laryngomalacia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D058753:Laryngoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012016:Reference Values; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Level of Evidence: 2b; Pediatric Airway; laryngology