연성 후두개를 가진 수면 무호흡 환자에서 부분후두개절제술 시행 1예

Floppy epiglottis (FE) which is a kind of laryngomalacia is a rare disease in adult. FE can cause upper airway obstruction, sleep apnea disorder that should be differential diagnosis from asthma attack or paradoxical vocal cord movement. The patients can be observed the prolapsed epiglottis and supraglottic airway obstruction on laryngoscope during inspiration. A recent study has demonstrated that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) of the initial treatment aggravated airway obstruction in patients with FE. The other study has demonstrated that partial epiglottectomy is effective in the treatment FE. We present one case of floppy epiglottis with partial epiglottectomy. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 2014;25:215-218)