Stridor

Published on 06/06/2015 by admin

Filed under Pediatrics

Last modified 06/06/2015

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36 Stridor

Stridor is a clinical finding reflecting partial extrathoracic airway obstruction. Although it is not pathognomonic for any single disease process, its presence can indicate a life-threatening upper airway obstruction. In addition, although stridor is traditionally thought to be inspiratory in nature, it can also be expiratory or biphasic, presenting in both phases of the respiratory cycle.

Etiology and Pathogenesis

Stridor can be caused by any upper airway obstruction. When thinking about the causes of stridor, it is helpful to first understand the anatomy of the larynx (Figure 36-1) and then to separate the causes of stridor into chronic and acute processes.