Tracheomalacia

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Tracheomalacia

• High-pitched breathing (called stridor) and rattling noisy breaths.
• Breathing problems worsen with coughing, crying, or (in the case of infants) feeding. Upper respiratory infections also worsen symptoms.
• Breathing noises tend to improve during sleep.

A doctor's examination confirms the symptoms. A chest X-ray may show narrowing of the trachea when exhaling. Even if the X-ray shows nothing abnormal, it is needed to rule out other problems.

A definitive diagnosis is obtained by laryngoscopy, which is performed by a otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, or ENT). This allows the doctor to visually examine the airway anatomy and helps determine the extent of tracheomalacia.

Other tests which may be perfomed include airway fluroscopy, barium swallow, bronchoscopy, lung function tests, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

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