Anesth Analg 2006;102:322-325
© 2006 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000181319.70639.3B
GENERAL ARTICLES
Severe Postextubation Laryngeal Obstruction: The Role of Prior Neck Dissection and Radiation
Christopher M. Burkle, MD,
Michael T. Walsh, MD,
Shepherd G. Pryor, MD, and
Jan L. Kasperbauer, MD
Departments of Anesthesiology and Otolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Christopher M. Burkle, MD, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. Address e-mail to burkle.christopher{at}mayo.edu.
Aggressive treatment of advanced head and neck cancer may result in more patients undergoing surgery for unrelated illnesses. We present a case of a patient requiring emergency tracheostomy placement after a routine liver segment resection 10 yr after undergoing a bilateral modified radical neck dissection and radiation therapy. This type of patient may be at increased risk for both postoperative laryngeal edema and neuronal imbalance secondary to their preoperative condition.
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