Penetrating injuries of the larynx

Patients with penetrating laryngeal trauma can present a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms. Severe trauma frequently leads to life-threatening airway compromise, whereas lesser injuries are often overlooked because of the subtlety of physical and roentgenographic findings or the severity of vascular and neurologic injuries. Increased suspicion should accompany the examination of patients who have sustained a penetrating neck injury, and such injuries demand examination by an experienced laryngoscopist. Early surgical repair is mandatory to avoid delayed complications, which can permanently impair airway, speech, and deglutition. In a series of 19 patients presented here, diagnosis was delayed in seven (37%). The most relevant factor determining return to normal voice appeared to be the presence or absence of vocal cord paralysis.