The larynx functions as a breathing passage, a valve to protect the lungs, and the primary organ of communication; symptoms of laryngeal anomalies are those of airway obstruction, noisy breathing, difficulty feeding, and abnormalities of phonation (see Chapter 400 ).…
Airway resistance is inversely proportional to the 4th power of the radius (see Chapter 400 ). Because the lumen of an infant's or child's airway is narrow, minor reductions in cross-sectional area as a result of mucosal edema or other…
Anatomy The Waldeyer ring (the lymphoid tissue surrounding the opening of the oral and nasal cavities into the pharynx) comprises the palatine tonsils, the pharyngeal tonsil or adenoid, lymphoid tissue surrounding the eustachian tube orifice in the lateral walls of…
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Pharyngitis refers to inflammation of the pharynx, including erythema, edema, exudates, or an enanthem (ulcers, vesicles). Pharyngeal inflammation can be related to environmental exposures, such as tobacco smoke, air pollutants, and allergens; from contact with caustic substances, hot food, and…
Sinusitis is a common illness of childhood and adolescence. There are 2 common types of acute sinusitis—viral and bacterial—with significant acute and chronic morbidity as well as the potential for serious complications. Fungal sinusitis is rare in immunocompetent patients but…
The common cold is an acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract in which the symptoms of rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction are prominent. Systemic symptoms and signs such as headache, myalgia, and fever are absent or mild. The common…
Etiology Nasal polyps are benign pedunculated tumors formed from edematous, usually chronically inflamed nasal mucosa. They commonly arise from the ethmoidal sinus and occur in the middle meatus. Occasionally they appear within the maxillary antrum and can extend to the…
Tumors, septal perforations, and other acquired abnormalities of the nose and paranasal sinuses can manifest with epistaxis. Midface trauma with a nasal or facial fracture may also be accompanied by epistaxis. Trauma to the nose can cause a septal hematoma;…
Normal Newborn Nose In contrast to children and adults who preferentially breathe through their nose unless nasal obstruction interferes, most newborn infants are obligate nasal breathers. Significant nasal obstruction presenting at birth, such as choanal atresia, may be a life-threatening…