Upper airway obstruction in children. The value of inspiratory-expiratory flow-volume curves.

The physiological assessment of upper respiratory tract obstruction using inspiratory-expiratory flow-volume curves is a valuable non-invasive procedure in children. The technique employed at the Montreal Children's Hospital with appropriate case material is presented. Although flow-volume curves can reliably diagnose and localize a large airway obstruction, these lesions are readily monitored by spirometric testing.