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Successful emergency Lichtenberger lateralisation for immediate bilateral laryngeal immobility after total thyroidectomy: a CARE case report
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 April 2023
Abstract
Objective
This case report discusses a successful emergency Lichtenberger lateralisation procedure after immediate bilateral laryngeal immobility, occurring after total thyroidectomy.
Methods
A 63-year-old female with right-sided vocal fold paralysis due to compression by a multinodular thyroid goitre underwent total thyroidectomy, which resulted in immediate post-operative bilateral vocal fold immobility. The patient had acute-onset post-operative dyspnoea, was promptly re-intubated, and an emergency lateralisation Lichtenberger suture was placed over the right vocal fold and fixated on the outer surface of the neck.
Results
After two weeks, her right vocal fold recovered first, with the suture still in place. At four weeks, both vocal folds regained function and the suture was extracted.
Conclusion
The take-away message is that an emergency lateralisation suture may be a viable option in maintaining airway patency, while allowing for normal deglutition, in patients who would otherwise be candidates for prolonged intubation, posterior cordotomy, medial arytenoidectomy or tracheostomy.
Information
- Type
- Clinical Records
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED
Footnotes
Mr A Košec takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper
References
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