Successful emergency Lichtenberger lateralisation for immediate bilateral laryngeal immobility after total thyroidectomy: a CARE case report

Scientific paper - Case study

• Author: Siniša Stevanović
• Author: M Knežević
• Author: M Obraz
• Author: Andro Košec
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Othorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Otorhinolaryngology

Abstract (english)

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.

• Keywords (english): Dyspnea / etiology; Dyspnea / surgery; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Thyroidectomy / adverse effects; Tracheostomy / adverse effects; Vocal Cord Paralysis / etiology; Vocal Cord Paralysis / surgery; Vocal Cords
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Case study
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Accepted version
• Journal title: The Journal of Laryngology & Otology
• Numbering: vol. 137, no. 12, pp. 1413-1415
• p-ISSN: 0022-2151
• e-ISSN: 1748-5460
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215123000646
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:543520
• Publication: 2023-04-11
• Document URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022215123000646/type/journal_article
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Embargoed access; Embargo expiration date: 2024-07-01
• Created on: 2024-01-08 09:18:58