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Bilateral glossopharyngeal nerve paralysis after tonsillectomy: case report and anatomic study
1Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, 280 W. MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94611-5693, U.S.A.
The Laryngoscope
|November 27, 2004
Summary
Severe dysphagia after tonsillectomy can result from glossopharyngeal nerve paralysis. Anatomical study revealed the nerve
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neurosurgery
- Anatomy
Background:
- Tonsillectomy is a common surgical procedure.
- Severe dysphagia is a rare but debilitating complication.
Observation:
- A case of severe dysphagia post-tonsillectomy was reported.
- Bilateral glossopharyngeal nerve paralysis was diagnosed.
- Cadaveric dissection revealed the glossopharyngeal nerve's proximity to the tonsillar fossa.
Findings:
- The mean distance from the tonsillar fossa to the glossopharyngeal nerve trunk was 10.7 mm.
- The mean distance to the nerve's lingual branch was 6.5 mm.
- Direct nerve injury is the likely cause of paralysis.
Implications:
- Maintaining the correct surgical plane during tonsillectomy is crucial.
- This finding highlights the risk of glossopharyngeal nerve injury.
- Understanding nerve anatomy can prevent surgical complications.