Management of the patient with an incompetent larynx.

Incompetency of the larynx may vary from minimal occasional aspiration of saliva with a somewhat annoying cough to severe and life threatening aspiration. Management of these problems remains a significant challenge to the ingenuity of the well trained otolaryngologist. A review of the anatomic and physiologic factors involved both in normal function of the larynx and in derangement resulting in varying degrees of laryngeal incompetency would seem worthwhile. Several procedures are available that may be useful individually or in combination in the management of these patients.