Ventral cleft of the larynx: a rare congenital laryngeal defect.

An anterior cleft of the larynx is apparently extremely rare. Only two patients with this defect have been reported in the American literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a child who was aphonic at birth and who was later found to have a congenital anterior cleft of the larynx. The diagnosis is established by the clinical symptoms, direct laryngoscopic examination, and radiographic studies. While severe voice change is the most prominent symptom of this defect, chronic aspiration is also a disquieting symptom, albeit controllable. The literature is reviewed, and the patient's symptoms and radiographic findings are documented. The clinical course over a period of almost 4 years is discussed.