Extra-laryngeal complications of suspension laryngoscopy

Although suspension laryngoscopy is routinely used in laryngeal surgery, there are only few studies on the complications of this procedure. to evaluate the complications outside the larynx following suspension laryngoscopy and analyze their relation with surgery duration. Thirty-seven procedures were prospectively analyzed for intervention-related complications. The study included patient preoperative and postoperative assessment, focusing on dental, mucosal and nerve status (hypoglossal and lingual nerves). Most procedures (27/37) were associated to some kind of complication, and mucosal injuries were the most common; temporary nerve lesions were observed in five cases and dental injuries in one case. Statistic significance was found between surgery duration and mucosal injury (lesions smaller than 1 centimeter), showing that longer procedure pose higher risks for these complications. These findings suggest that suspension laryngoscopy is frequently associated with complications outside the larynx. Although these injuries represent a low risk of significant morbidity, they can be avoided if more accurate techniques are used.