Damage of the Larynx by Intubation-Anesthesia

Author’s address: Dr. A. H. van Bolhuis, E. N. T. Clinic, University of Leyden, Leyden (Netherlands) Under discussion were four patients who, presumably as a result of an endotracheal-intubationanesthesia, had suffered damage to the larynx. The first patient was hoarse for 5 months after the anesthesia, because of a temporary dislocation and immobility of one ary-tenoid-cartilage. The second patient was also hoarse after the narcosis, but the immobility of one arytenoid remained permanent. In the third patient, 4 days of post-narcosis hoarseness was followed, 2 1⁄8 weeks later, by an acute inflammation, which mainly affected one arytenoid. During this period a smooth white growth developed on the medial side of the affected arytenoid, but later disappeared of its own accord. The last patient suffered from a dislocation of the apex of one arytenoid-cartilage, which had already been immobile for 6 years. A serious dyspnea developed and the patient’s voice grew worse. Removal of the apex of the dislocated arytenoid-cartilage through a laryngoscope, almost relieved the patient of her complaint. The briefing was illustrated by photographic-slides of the patients’ larynxes and by recordings of their voices.