Successful Treatment of Severe Laryngomalacia Due to Posterior Collapse of the Epiglottis by Correction of Glosso-Larynx (CGL): A Case Report

TL;DR

A new surgical procedure called CGL successfully treated severe laryngomalacia in an infant by improving airway stability and reducing respiratory symptoms.

Contribution

CGL is presented as a novel, minimally invasive treatment option for severe laryngomalacia involving tongue-larynx dynamics.

Findings

CGL improved airway stability and respiratory symptoms in an infant with severe laryngomalacia.

The procedure enhanced feeding ability and overall clinical condition without complications.

Endoscopic follow-up confirmed functional airway expansion with limited morbidity.

Abstract

What are the main findings?
Correction of glosso-larynx (CGL) effectively improved airway stability and respiratory symptoms in an infant with severe laryngomalacia.The procedure enhanced feeding ability and overall clinical condition without perioperative complications.

Correction of glosso-larynx (CGL) effectively improved airway stability and respiratory symptoms in an infant with severe laryngomalacia.

The procedure enhanced feeding ability and overall clinical condition without perioperative complications.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Addressing tongue–larynx dynamics may provide a novel therapeutic option for selected cases of severe laryngomalacia.CGL may offer an alternative minimally invasive approach in the management of pediatric upper airway obstruction.

Addressing tongue–larynx dynamics may provide a novel therapeutic option for selected cases of severe laryngomalacia.

CGL may offer an alternative minimally invasive approach in the management of pediatric upper airway obstruction.

Background: Laryngomalacia is the most common cause of inspiratory stridor in infancy. While most mild cases resolve spontaneously, severe cases may require surgical intervention. We report a case of severe laryngomalacia successfully treated with correction of glosso-larynx (CGL), a surgical procedure originally developed for ankyloglossia with deviation of the epiglottis and larynx (ADEL). Methods: A 2-month-old infant with severe symptoms was evaluated using objective anatomical and functional metrics. The patient underwent CGL under local anesthesia to release restrictive tension on the hyoid-larynx complex. Results: The patient showed rapid and sustained improvement in respiratory symptoms. At the one-month follow-up, endoscopic examination confirmed functional airway expansion with limited to no morbidity. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that CGL may represent a feasible and minimally invasive therapeutic option for selected cases of severe laryngomalacia, particularly those involving complex tongue–larynx dynamics.

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