[Effect of preventive glucocorticoid administration on edema formation and inflammation susceptibility after...

51 patients, who underwent direct laryngoscopy under general anesthesia, received either 250 mg Methyprednisolone or 10 ml NaCl 0.9% intraveneously in a prospective, double blind study. 4-5 hours after microlaryngoscopy they were examined in regard to edema and size of redness of certain anatomical structures of the larynx and hypopharynx. Findings were compared to the results which had been found on the eve of the operation. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, in the NaCl-Group there was a direct correlation between the edema formation and inflammatory reaction on one hand and the duration of surgery on the other hand. Routine prescription of Cortisone before mikrolaryngoscopy is not necessary, but is recommended, when the operation is expected to take a long time, around more than 30 min.