Understanding Speech-Language Pathology and Surgical Interventions for Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction

Abstract

This review provides an overview of existing data from the literature summarizing therapies for exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) with 2 main areas of focus. We discuss the role of speech-language pathologists in the assessment and treatment of EILO and an overview of different respiratory retraining techniques used in the behavioral management of the disease. We then discuss the role and some of the technical specifics of supraglottoplasty (SGP) for refractory supraglottic EILO, including patient selection and similarities between SGPs performed for EILO and for infants with laryngomalacia.

Keywords: Continuous laryngoscopy during exercise (CLE); Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO); Laryngomalacia (LM); Speech-language pathology (SLP); Supraglottoplasty (SGP).