D S Schwartz1, M S Keller. 1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Otolaryngologists and anesthesiologists have described a maturational descent of the epiglottis that occurs in infancy and childhood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changing level of the epiglottis to confirm and characterize this phenomenon more completely. DESIGN: A survey of 500 images with 338 images selected for the study. SETTINGS: A tertiary care facility. PATIENTS: Asymptomatic children aged 1 day to 18 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The position of the tip of the epiglottis was correlated with the cervical vertebral level. RESULTS: Data indicate that maturational descent of the epiglottis starts in infancy and continues into adolescence. These results are statistically significant (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Maturational descent of the epiglottis occurs in a predictable pattern. Understanding this phenomenon may facilitate laryngoscopic, as well as clinical and radiologic, evaluation of the airway in children.
BACKGROUND: Otolaryngologists and anesthesiologists have described a maturational descent of the epiglottis that occurs in infancy and childhood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changing level of the epiglottis to confirm and characterize this phenomenon more completely. DESIGN: A survey of 500 images with 338 images selected for the study. SETTINGS: A tertiary care facility. PATIENTS: Asymptomatic children aged 1 day to 18 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The position of the tip of the epiglottis was correlated with the cervical vertebral level. RESULTS: Data indicate that maturational descent of the epiglottis starts in infancy and continues into adolescence. These results are statistically significant (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Maturational descent of the epiglottis occurs in a predictable pattern. Understanding this phenomenon may facilitate laryngoscopic, as well as clinical and radiologic, evaluation of the airway in children.