Acquired Laryngeal Lesions: Pathologic Study Using Serial Macrosections

OBJECTIVE: To present the pathologic findings of acquired lesions of the larynx in infants. SETTING: The Laryngeal Development Laboratory of Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Ill. MATERIALS: One hundred fifteen larynges received at postmortem examination from 1975 to 1992. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Acquired laryngeal lesions from intubation trauma. TECHNIQUE: Whole-organ serial section of larynges. RESULTS: Fifty-three of the 115 specimens exhibited acquired laryngeal lesions: 36, submucosal mucous gland hyperplasia; 12, submucosal fibrosis; 10, granulation tissue; eight, ulceration; eight, fragmented or distorted cricoid; four, cricoid ossification; four, ductal cysts; three, healed furrows, and one, anterior glottic synechia. Some specimens exhibited more than one type of acquired abnormality.