A Study on Laryngeal Trauma Caused by External Damage

Abstract

Objectives: Laryngeal trauma caused by external factors is rare. The treatment strategies for laryngeal trauma, including the optimal surgical approaches, airway management methods, and fixation materials to be used still remain under debate.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the details of the management and clinical course of 16 patients with fresh laryngeal trauma treated between April 2000 and March 2020 at the Hiroshima University Hospital.Results: The causes of the laryngeal trauma included sports accident (n = 6), fall (n = 3), suicidal behavior (n = 2), labor accident (n = 2), and other (n = 3). Categorization of the severity and the treatment policy, including the surgical indications, were in accordance with the classification proposed by Umeno et al. We performed surgical repositioning of the fractured thyroid cartilage in 7 cases and repositioning or correction of arytenoid cartilage dislocation in 2 cases under general anesthesia. The fixation materials used varied depending on the need.Conclusion: The clinical features of laryngeal trauma were examined. Further studies on fixation methods, methods to restore the phonation ability, and appropriate surgical timing are required.