2011 Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 1-10
Dyspnea due to laryngeal edema is a well-known postoperative complication of arytenoid adduction (AA). Other complications that may be encountered include hematoma, infection, tracheal perforation, and esophageal perforation. We examined the postoperative complications of AA performed in our department.
A total of 28 patients underwent AA at our institution between September 2001 and January 2010. Five patients (17.9%) developed complications. These included dyspnea in three cases (10.7%), postoperative hemorrhage in two cases (7.1%), esophageal perforation in two cases (7.1%), and infection/abscess in three cases (10.7%). Tracheostomy was necessitated in three patients (10.7%), and a Gore-Tex removal operation was needed in two patients (7.1%).
Laryngeal edema due to a bleeding hematoma in the acute phase necessitated use of quick hemostatic techniques and tracheostomy. When esophageal perforation was detected in the subacute phase, preventive tracheotomy and quick fistula reefing were performed. It is necessary to treat the piriform sinus mucosa carefully for prevention of esophageal perforation. In patients with infection/abscess in the late phase, we had to remove the Gore-Tex, which was a foreign body.
