Clinical Characteristics of Arytenoid Dislocation After Endotracheal Intubation

The objective of this study was to review the clinical characteristics of the arytenoid dislocations after the endotracheal intubation and to identify the factors affecting voice recovery in the arytenoid dislocation after the endotracheal intubation.

A retrospective chart review was performed at Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital from April 2008 to February 2014.

A total of 13 patients with the arytenoid dislocation were identified. The patients had undergone the endotracheal intubation for head and neck surgery (n = 7), abdominal surgery (n = 4), and orthopedic surgery (n = 2). The most common symptom was hoarseness (100%), followed by swallowing difficulty (15.4%). All of the patients with the arytenoid dislocations after the endotracheal intubation were treated by the closed reduction. All of the patients regained normal voice and vocal fold movement after the closed reduction in spite of late surgical intervention. There was no statistical significance between the Cormack-Lehane classification, expertise of anesthetist, patient's position, operation time, duration between first operation and the closed reduction, and period of voice improvement.

This study indicates that the arytenoid dislocations after the endotracheal intubation may be needed for the aggressive surgical intervention, even if the diagnosis was delayed.