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Clinical course of acute laryngeal trauma and associated effects on phonation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

S. Brosch*
Affiliation:
Section for Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Otorhinolaryngological Clinic, Ulm, Germany.
H. S. Johannsen
Affiliation:
Section for Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Otorhinolaryngological Clinic, Ulm, Germany.
*
Address for correspondence: Sibylle Brosch, M.D., Section for Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Otorhinolaryngological Clinic, Schillerstraβe 15, D-89070 Ulm, Germany. Fax: 0731/502-1702 e-mail: sibylle.brosch@medizin.uni-ulm.de

Abstract

We report the clinical course of blunt laryngeal trauma in three young patients. All three patients underwent several phoniatric examinations as well as indirect microlaryngoscopy and microstroboscopy. The follow-up period ranged from three to eight months. In the first case, there was isolated haemorrhage of the left vocal fold; in the second, dislocation of the arytenoid cartilage with formation of an adhesion in the area of the anterior commissure; and, in the third, non-dislocated fracture of the thyroid cartilage with development of haematoma in the right hemilarynx and transient vocal fold paralysis. One patient required surgical treatment; however, repositioning of the arytenoid cartilage, attempted seven weeks following the injury, proved unsuccessful.

In conclusion, all three patients showed significant limitation of vocal fold vibration many months after trauma which was unrelated to the extent of resulting tissue damage. In all three cases, patients developed secondary posttraumatic functional dysphonia requiring treatment.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

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Footnotes

This paper was presented at the Meeting of the 102nd Year of the Association of West German Otorhinolaryngologists, Cologne. Germany, April 24–25, 1998.

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