Uvular Necrosis: A Rare Complication After Esophagogastroduodenoscopy in an Intubated Patient

Uvular necrosis is a potential etiology of postesophagogastroduodenoscopy persistent sore throat and odynophagia, and physicians should be alert to the possibility of this potential complication. Diagnosis is clinical and can be made on the basis of symptoms and characteristic findings on oropharyngeal examination. It has a benign course with an overall good clinical outcome. Conservative symptomatic management is the treatment of choice, and full recovery can be expected in 2 weeks. Keeping oropharyngeal instruments and ventilation tubes to the side of the midline, avoidance of blind suctioning, and decreasing the power of suction devices are some of the measures, which might reduce the risk of intraprocedure uvular injury. In addition, it is important to note that the risk of injury is higher in some individuals, for instance, patients with a long uvula, and it might be beneficial to take extra precautions in these patients.