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Oropharyngeal trauma during routine ear, nose and throat procedures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. A. P. Connolly ,
J. P. Davis  and
N. D. Stafford
A. A. P. Connolly*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, London.
J. P. Davis
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Royal Free Hospital, London.
N. D. Stafford
Affiliation:
Department of ENT Surgery, St Mary's Hospital, London.
*
A. A. P. Connolly, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 84 Castle Street, Glasgow G4 OSF
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Abstract

A prospective study of 122 adults undergoing routine ear, nose and throat (ENT) operations over a three-month period was carried out to determine the cause of oropharyngeal trauma seen in some patients. Those having tonsillar or palatal surgery were excluded from the study. Forty-five (36.9 per cent) patients complained of a mild sore throat post-operatively and six (4.9 per cent) of a severe sore throat. Five of these (4 per cent) had evidence of injury to the uvula and soft palate which delayed their discharge from hospital. No single cause of trauma was identified but possible factors included the use of laryngeal masks (two cases), throat packs (two cases) and blind suctioning with a plastic Yankauer sucker (one case). There is a relatively high risk of oropharyngeal trauma during routine otolaryngological procedures and we recommend that care should be taken to prevent this common cause of significant post-operative morbidity.

Keywords

UvulaIntraoperative complications
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 108 , Issue 5 , May 1994 , pp. 403 - 405
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

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