Glottic foreign body in a child with pre-existing vocal cord paralysis and reflux laryngitis: A challenging diagnostic paradigm

Abstract 

Purpose: To illustrate the challenge and approach to diagnosing a laryngeal foreign body (FB) in a child with pre-existing laryngeal pathology. Methods: Case report. The diagnosis of laryngeal FB was initially missed in a 21-month old-infant. Two weeks later, the child experienced worsening in symptoms. Results: Flexible laryngoscopy revealed the presence of a plastic object in the subglottis, which was then removed under general anesthesia. Conclusions: For children with pre-existing laryngeal pathology, a sudden unexplained worsening of laryngeal symptoms, particularly dysphonia and biphasic stridor, should prompt the clinician to consider the possibility of a thin, sharp laryngeal FB.

Keywords: Foreign body aspiration, Vocal cord paralysis, Reflux laryngitis, Laryngeal foreign body, Dysphonia