title: Type I-II laryngeal cleft: clinical course and outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laryngeal cleft (LC) is a rare congenital anomaly manifesting in a variety of symptoms, including swallowing disorders and aspirations, dyspnea, stridor and hoarseness. The mild forms (types I-II) may be underdiagnosed, leading to protracted symptomatology and morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic process, clinical course, management and outcome in children with type I-II laryngeal clefts.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective case analysis for the years 2005-2012 in a tertiary referral center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven children were reviewed: five boys and two girls ranging in age from birth to 5 years. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, aspirations and pneumonia. Evaluation procedures included fiber-optic laryngoscopy (FOL), direct laryngoscopy (DL) and videofluoroscopy. Other pathologies were seen in three children. Six children underwent successful endoscopic surgery and one child was treated conservatively. The postoperative clinical course was uneventful in most of the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Types I-II LC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with protracted cough and aspirations. DL is crucial for establishing the diagnosis. Endoscopic surgery is safe and should be applied promptly when conservative measures fail.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Slonimsky
authors.forename: Eldar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carmel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drendel
authors.forename: Noga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lipschitz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007830:Larynx / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery / Q000379:methods*