VIII: Congenital laryngeal cleft

Congenital laryngeal cleft is a rare anomaly. It is suggested, however, that the limited number of cases to be found in the literature may, in part, result from a failure to identify the lesion. The clinical picture is characteristically that of a newborn with respiratory difficulties associated with feeding, and excess mucus. The differential diagnosis consists primarily of tracheo-esophageal fistula and bilateral choanal atresia. The cleft may involve the cricoid cartilage without extending into the tracheo-esophageal septum and the difficulties associated with establishing the diagnosis in such cases are stressed. The treatment is surgical, and the fourth case so far reported in the literature to have undergone successful surgery is included in this series of congenital laryngeal clefts.