Arytenoid subluxation from blunt laryngeal trauma

Isolated arytenoid dislocation and subluxation are uncommon laryngeal injuries most often resulting from endotracheal intubation. However, these diagnoses must be entertained in all patients having sustained laryngeal trauma. Complaints of dysphonia, pain with phonation, or odynophagia in the setting of laryngeal trauma should include evaluation for possible arytenoid displacement after an airway is secured. Prolonged hoarseness or odynophagia after endotracheal intubation should alert the physician to the possibility of a cricoarytenoid joint injury. This represents the first reported case of isolated arytenoid injury resulting from blunt external trauma to the larynx. The patient had a stable airway without intervention, and the displaced joint spontaneously relocated with resolution of the cricoarytenoid edema and hemarthrosis. We propose that the cricoarytenoid joint was subluxed probably due to edema, hematoma, and/or cricoarytenoid hemarthrosis sustained from blunt laryngeal trauma. We furthermore propose that some cases of cricoarytenoid subluxation may be treated without operative intervention.