title: Complete fusion of the vocal cords; an unusual case.
abstract: A case is presented of a woman who sustained a 35% body surface area mixed depth cutaneous burn, together with a significant inhalational injury. The patient required emergency resuscitation with endotracheal intubation and subsequently tracheostomy. This resulted in an unfortunate complication of a total adhesion between the vocal cords which extended into the subglottic area, causing complete occlusion of the airway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Frenchay Healthcare NHS Trust, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Cobley
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Burd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications; D002059:Burns, Inhalation / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005931:Glottis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D012151:Resuscitation; D015607:Stents; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery