Laryngospasm
disorder in which the adductor muscles of the vocal cords exhibit increased activity leading to laryngeal spasm
Laryngospasm is an uncontrolled or involuntary muscular contraction (spasm) of the vocal folds. It may be triggered when the vocal cords or the area of the trachea below the vocal folds detects the entry of water, mucus, blood, or other substance. It may be associated with stridor or retractions.
Signs and symptoms
Laryngospasm is characterized by involuntary spasms of the laryngeal muscles. It is associated with difficulty or inability to breathe or speak, retractions, a feeling of suffocation, which may be followed by hypoxia-induced loss of consciousness. It may be followed by paroxysmal coughing and in partial laryngospasms, a stridor may be heard. It requires prompt identification to avoid possibly fatal complications. It may present with loss of end-tidal carbon dioxide (for mechanically ventilated patients), chest or neck retractions and paradoxical chest wall movements.
The condition typically lasts less than 60 seconds, but in cases of partial blocking it may last 20 to 30 minutes and hinder inspiration, while exhalation remains easier.
Causes
Laryngospasm is a primitive protective airway reflex that functions to protect against aspiration.
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This entry incorporates text from “Laryngospasm” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.