[Postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy following a transesophageal echocardiography]

The postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLNP) following transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was retrospectively evaluated in 175 adult patients after cardiac surgery. The incidence of RLNP was not significantly different between TEE group and non TEE group, but the incidence in female TEE group was higher than that in female non TEE group. The mechanism of RLNP following TEE as well as the insertion of nasogastric tube may be compression injuries of the branches of the posterior division of the recurrent laryngeal nerves. The incidence of RLNP in female TEE group was higher because of the narrow female larynx. TEE is a useful monitor during cardiac surgery, but we must be careful about RLNP following TEE.