Airway Glottic Insufficiency

Excerpt

Airway glottic insufficiency is characterized by incomplete closure of the vocal folds during phonation, resulting in an increased risk of aspiration and the development of laryngeal symptoms such as dysphonia and dysphagia. Glottic insufficiency is often attributed to 2 primary causes: vocal fold paralysis, characterized by complete immobility of the vocal folds, and vocal fold paresis, which involves weakness or partial immobility of the vocal folds. These conditions are the most common contributors to glottic insufficiency. This condition can manifest diverse laryngeal symptoms, including dysphonia, dysphagia, and recurrent lung infections due to aspiration. The underlying causes of glottic insufficiency are extensive and encompass various factors that hinder complete vocal fold closure, whether static or dynamic. These factors include neoplasms, focal neurological deficits, trauma, functional disorders, and other contributing elements.