Introduction
Airway anomalies are not uncommon in children below two years of age and
usually present with noisy breathing (stridor and/or wheezing). The
exact incidence is unknown; however, studies have revealed an estimated
1 in 2,100 children (1). For the diagnosis of airway anomalies,
bronchoscopy is the gold standard (2). Infant pulmonary function tests
(IPFT) are being explored for their clinical utility, specifically in
diagnosing airway abnormalities. A review by Godfrey et al. concluded
that IPFT has potential clinical use in diagnosing and monitoring airway
malacias. However, there is a need to generate more data as not many
studies determine the clinical role of IPFT in airway anomalies (3).
Very few studies have evaluated the role of TBFVL in patients with
tracheomalacia (4). We did this study to assess infant Pulmonary
Function Tests (TBFVL- Tidal Breathing Flow Volume Loop) in children
with suspected airway anomalies and to correlate it with bronchoscopy
findings.