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Breathing sounds - abnormal (stridor)

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Stridor is an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or larynx (voice box). It is also called an extrathoracic airway obstruction. It is usually heard when inhaling (see wheezing and abnormal lung sounds). Stridor may indicate an emergency and should always be evaluated immediately by a health care provider.

Alternative Names:

Stridor

Considerations:

Children are at higher risk of airway obstruction because they have narrower airways than adults. In young children, stridor is a significant sign of airway obstruction and must be treated immediately in order to prevent total airway obstruction.

The airway can be obstructed by an object, by swelling of the tissues of the throat or upper airway, or by spasm of the airway muscles or the vocal cords.

Common Causes:

• Inhalation of an object such as a peanut or marble ( foreign body aspiration )
• Laryngitis (acute)
• Airway trauma
• Allergic reaction
• Croup
• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids (such as with tonsillitis )
• Abscess on the tonsils
• Inhalation injury (such as smoke inhalation)
• Neck surgery
• Neck or facial swelling
• Secretions, particularly phlegm (sputum)
• Vocal cord cancer
• Prolonged intubation (breathing assisted with a tube)
• Diagnostic tests such as bronchoscopy or laryngoscopy

• Review Date: 10/27/2005
• Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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