What Researchers Did
Researchers described a single case where a patient developed severe laryngeal damage after using a laryngeal mask airway during surgery.
What They Found
A 69-year-old male with prior laryngeal irradiation developed laryngeal chondronecrosis, bilateral vocal fold immobility, and aspiration following total knee replacement with a laryngeal mask airway. He required tracheostomy and gastrostomy, but improved with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, intravenous antibiotics, and endoscopic repair of a residual fistula. Ultimately, his vocal fold motion returned, and he was successfully decannulated.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This case suggests that Canadian patients with a history of laryngeal irradiation undergoing procedures with a laryngeal mask airway should be monitored for laryngeal chondronecrosis. It highlights hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a potential treatment option for severe post-surgical laryngeal complications, including vocal fold immobility and aspiration. This could offer hope for patients facing similar complex challenges.
Canadian Relevance
While this was not a Canadian study or authored by Canadian researchers, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is available in Canada and recognized by Health Canada for treating certain radiation-induced tissue injuries, which aligns with the patient's history of laryngeal irradiation.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, the findings of this study cannot be broadly applied to all patients.