Management of Laryngeal Trauma in a Tertiary Hospital in the Niger-Delta Area of Nigeria

Management of Laryngeal Trauma in a Tertiary Hospital in the Niger-Delta Area of Nigeria

Background: Although laryngeal injuries are uncommon in our environment, they are responsible for severe morbidity and fatalities when they occur.

Aim: The aim of this study was to review cases of laryngeal injuries, the management protocol and outcome of the patients managed in our hospital within a 6-year period.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of the case notes of patients that presented with laryngeal trauma at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, between 1st of March, 2006 and 29th of February, 2012 was carried out. Appropriate data were retrieved from the patients’ case notes.

Results: Thirteen patients had laryngeal trauma during the study period, consisting of 10 males and 3 females, with a male to female ratio of 3.3:1. Ages of the patients ranged from 15 years to 50 years, with a mean age of 34.8 years. Whereas 8 patients had burns involving the head and neck region with inhalational injuries, 3 patients had blunt trauma to the larynx as the mechanism of the laryngeal injury. Twelve (12) out of the 13 patients had tracheostomy for relief of the upper airway obstruction, while from the available records only 5 patients were successfully decannulated of tracheostomy /endotracheal tubes.

Conclusion: Males and young aged individuals are more prone to laryngeal trauma. Burns involving the head and neck with inhalational injury is the commonest cause of laryngeal injury. Tracheostomy was done for 12 out of 13 cases in this series. Patients with laryngeal trauma may recover fully, die or have difficulty in decannulation of a tracheostomy tube.