Counseling Families on Long‐Term Outcomes After Supraglottoplasty for Laryngomalacia: A Single‐Surgeon Patient‐Reported Outcome Cohort With 15‐Year Follow‐Up
Luke M. O'Neil, Shyan VijayasekaranABSTRACT
Objective
To provide long‐term patient‐reported outcome data to inform preoperative counseling for supraglottoplasty, and to determine whether any residual symptom burden reflects ongoing laryngeal dysfunction or broader health factors such as comorbidity.
Methods
Retrospective cohort study with cross‐sectional long‐term follow‐up at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Perth, WA. Patients who underwent supraglottoplasty for severe laryngomalacia between 2006 and 2011 by a single surgeon were administered the Laryngomalacia Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire (LQQ) via electronic survey. Descriptive statistics, internal consistency (Cronbach α ) and Mann–Whitney U testing were performed.
Results
Twenty‐eight of 63 families completed the survey (44.4%). Median age at surgery was 3.8 months; median follow‐up from surgery was 15 years. The median total LQQ score was 43 (IQR 36.5–58), corresponding to a median item score of 1.48/5 (mean 1.65/5). Airway and Feeding/Swallowing domains demonstrated low patient‐reported symptom burden. Six patients (21.4%) reported higher total scores (> 60 points), predominantly within the general quality‐of‐life domain. Patients with comorbidities had significantly higher general quality‐of‐life domain scores ( p = 0.022, r = 0.55); airway and feeding/swallowing domains did not differ by comorbidity status.
Conclusion
At a median of 15 years following supraglottoplasty, patients reported minimal laryngeal symptom burden. Symptoms were largely confined to the general quality‐of‐life domain and may reflect comorbid conditions rather than laryngeal pathology. These long‐term data may support preoperative counseling.
Level of Evidence
4.