Laryngeal Cleft

Laryngeal clefts are rare congenital anomalies, first described in 1792 by Richter, that allow communication between the tracheal and esophageal axis. The incidence is 1 in 10,000 to 20,000 births, which represents approximately 1.5% of the laryngeal pathology in children. Laryngeal clefts result from a failure of fusion of the posterior cricoid lamina and development of the tracheoesophageal septum. Recent work has further refined our understanding of this complex development.