Exercise-induced laryngochalasia: an imitator of exercise-induced bronchospasm.

BACKGROUND

Patients with exercise-induced laryngochalasia present with dyspnea and stridor during exercise. Symptoms are due to a subtotal occlusion of the larynx resulting from mucosal edema from the aryepiglottic folds being drawn into the endolarynx.

METHODS

We report on three patients with exercise-induced bronchospasm, refractory to standard therapy.

RESULTS

Spirometry with flow-volume loops revealed truncation of the inspiratory limb. Abnormal movement of the arytenoid region was visualized on laryngoscopy. A diagnosis of exercise-induced laryngochalasia was made.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluation of laryngeal motion in patients with refractory exercise-induced bronchospasm is important. Surgical correction with laser laryngoplasty is effective in carefully selected cases.