Functional upper airway obstruction. A new syndrome
N. H. Appelblatt and S. R. Baker
Functional airway obstruction is an uncommon condition that must be
considered in adults with apparent airway distress. The disorder is
characterized by stridor without abnormal physical findings on laryngeal
examination other than intense vocal cord adduction. Three patients had
functional upper airway obstruction documented by objective criteria. In
each case the respiratory embarrassment was severe enough to warrant
tracheostomy. A thorough search for systemic causes did not reveal an
organic etiologic factor. Psychiatric evaluation demonstrated psychological
disorders in each case. Functional airway obstruction represents an
important consideration in the differential diagnosis of airway obstruction
in the adult.
