Laryngocele: a rare long-term complication following neck surgery?
BACKGROUND
Laryngocele is an abnormal dilatation of the laryngeal saccule. Suggested etiologies include congenital enlargement of the saccule, weakness of laryngeal tissues, and increased intralaryngeal pressure. Only a few reports have described the late evolution of laryngocele following neck surgery.


METHODS
Two heavy smoking patients presented with hoarseness in voice because of laryngocele, which has evolved many years following ipsilateral neck surgery: hemithyroidectomy 20 years earlier and frontolateral hemilaringectomy 12 years earlier. Both patients were treated similarly by an endoscopic laser-assisted resection of the laryngocele. No other risk factor could have been attributed to its development. Follow-up was unremarkable.


CONCLUSIONS
Laryngeal locus minoris violation may result in the development of laryngocele in the long run following neck surgery and may be considered as a late rare surgical complication. In addition, heavy smoking or its sequelae may predispose this condition.
Marom
Tal
T
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Tel Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, Holon, Israel. maromtal@013.net.il
Roth
Yehudah
Y
Cinamon
Udi
U
D000368:Aged; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome