[False appearances of aortic arch in laryngomalacia (author's transl)].

The authors report six cases of congenital laryngeal stridor in which appearances of oesophageal compression had led to a diagnosis of abnormalities of the aortic arches. Two children underwent surgery, thoracotomy failing to reveal any abnormality. The other four were investigated by endoscopy which made it possible to eliminate the diagnosis of tracheal compression. All of these children were suffering from laryngomalacia. These cases indicate the need for complete routine studies, in particular endoscopic, in all cases of stridor, as well as for careful definition of the radiological criteria of abnormality of the aortic arches. The pathogenesis of these false appearances of oesophageal compression in laryngomalacia is discussed.