POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS:
ANESTHESIA:
Reflux.
General.
ESTIMATED BLOOD LOSS:
None.
INDICATIONS FOR SURGERY: This is a 31-year-old female
referred to me for recurrent hoarseness for several months,
who had been on some medication. Risks and benefits and
alternatives to surgery, general anesthesia, laryngospasm,
and no guarantee of final outcome including the need for
further medical or surgical intervention, including any
unanticipated surgical complications were fully explained
to the patient. She fully understood and consented to the
procedure.
PROCEDURE IN DETAIL: Patient was identified and taken to
the OR suite, where she was administered a general
anesthetic. The mouth was then manually palpated and no
masses were noted.
The anterior commissure laryngoscope was slowly introduced
into the mouth and advanced to the base of the tongue. No
masses were noted at the base of the tongue or vallecula.
Then the laryngoscope was further advanced down to the
hypopharynx and directed to the right and left piriform
sinuses, and again, no masses were noted. The laryngoscope
was used to lift the epiglottis anteriorly and was advanced
further down to the hypopharynx. At this time, the true
and false vocal cords and postcricoid area were fully
visualized, which at the time, the laryngoscope was adapted
to be loose and was suspended on a Mayo stand. The
microscope was then brought to the field and no masses were
noted. Both arytenoids were noted to moderately inflamed.
The laryngoscope was then removed from the mouth.
The patient tolerated the procedure without incident. She
was transferred to the PACU stable in satisfactory
condition. She was sent home on Robitussin-DM for
postoperative pain. She was also given appointment one
week from now.