Abstract
A 73-year-old female subject who was administered aspirin because of a post-operative cerebral aneurysm complained of severe hoarseness and was admitted to our hospital. Fiber-optic examinations demonstrated a bilateral polypoid vocal cord (Reinke's edema). We resected the polypoid tissue under direct laryngoscopy using the pinching and squeezing technique. Forty days after the primary surgery, areas of granulation on the patient's bilateral vocal folds were observed. We decided to perform a resection of the granulations because they exhibited a high rate of growth. A histopathological examination showed a non-specific granuloma. The vocal folds exhibited good epithelialization after the reoperation, and the patient's voice improved. No recurrence of the areas of granulation was observed. We speculated two primary causes for the granulomas : a resting larger area of the raw surface during surgery and taking an anticoagulant before and after surgery. The granulation of the vocal fold after microsurgery for Reinke's edema appears to be a complication. It is important to avoid any surplus mucosal resection during microsurgery of the larynx in order to prevent granuloma formation.
