Thermal Pharyngeal Injury Resulting From Vaping: A Case Report

Thermal injury to the pharyngeal structures is uncommon, and clinicians generally attribute these injuries to consuming hot foods or liquids. While thermal injuries have been reported with the ingestion of hot substances, thermal injuries from vape pens have not been widely described in the literature. We present a case of a 35-year-old male who presented to the emergency department (ED) with oropharyngeal burns after utilizing a vape pen that malfunctioned. The patient had visible burns on his uvula, as well as on the soft and hard palate. Additionally, he had symptoms of difficulty swallowing and a hoarse voice, which raised concerns about a possible deeper airway or lung injury. The patient required a flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy by a head and neck surgeon, which revealed mild edema and erythema of the epiglottis and the arytenoids. The patient was admitted to the hospital overnight for observation and treatment with analgesia and dexamethasone. The following morning, the patient's symptoms had improved. The repeat nasopharyngolaryngoscopy showed improvement in the swelling of the epiglottis and arytenoids, and the patient was deemed stable for discharge. This case brings attention to the variety of injuries possible from e-cigarette use and the importance of prompt management of oropharyngeal thermal injuries.