title: Transient left vocal cord paralysis during laparoscopic surgery for an oesophageal hiatus hernia.
abstract: A 45-year-old male, with symptoms of many years standing of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, was subjected, under general anaesthesia, to laparoscopic fundoplication. Tracheal intubation yielded no problems but great difficulties were encountered during tube insertion into the oesophagus. After surgery, aphonia developed. Laryngological examination demonstrated paralysis of the left vocal cord. Voice strength returned to the pre-operative status after 3 months, and laryngological examination confirmed normal mobility of both cords. The possible cause of the complication was damage to the left recurrent laryngeal nerve which occurred during insertion of the tube into the oesophagus. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease causing 'acid laryngitis' can create conditions favouring this type of complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Military School of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanski
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Plocharska
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stanowski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koziarski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chmurzynska
mesh_terms: D004947:Esophagus; D018662:Fundoplication / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000601:surgery; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007440:Intubation / Q000009:adverse effects; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*