Glottic stenosis

Glottic stenosis is a fixed, focal narrowing at the level of the laryngeal inlet, the true vocal cords. It may be either congenital or acquired and be related to a wide range of etiologies. The stenosis may be either anterior, posterior, or in rare cases, complete. Isolated glottic stenosis is rare; lesions often involve adjacent regions, namely the subglottis. A diagnosis is made from careful history and examination, including evaluation by microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy. The management of glottic stenosis is challenging and should be tailored to each individual case. A secure and adequate airway is the treatment priority alongside optimization of voice and laryngeal competence. Endoscopic and open techniques in either single or multiple stages have been described.