Center for Advanced Subspecialty Care and Otolaryngolgy providing otolaryngology services for Plymouth County and surrounding southeastern Massachusetts.

Direct laryngoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that may also be therapeutic for removal of foreign bodies or tumors. It is a frequently performed otolaryngologic procedure, and considered to be one of the safest. Among the few complications that may occur are, injuries to the teeth during placement of the rigid scopes that are required to visualize the larynx, risks of general anesthesia, bleeding after biopsy, and failure of vocal cord to heal after biopsy. Voice changes, or hoarseness are possible after any vocal cord surgery. Any time the airway itself is instrumented, there is always a change of swelling or edema in the airway. This could necessitate surgical intervention to protect the patient's airway, i.e. temporary placement of a tracheostomy tube to insure adequate ventilation, although this is an unusual and unlikely sequelae of laryngoscopy.

Usually these procedures are done in an outpatient setting, and the patient goes home later that day. The patient may experience a moderate sore throat for the next two or three days, and some minimal difficulty swallowing. You should not experience any severe difficulty swallowing, or any significant bleeding through the mouth. Any air that is felt in the soft tissue of the neck should be reported to us immediately, and any progressive pain on swallowing again should be reported to us immediately.

Other rare complications which can be seen after laryngoscopy, or laryngeal surgery done endoscopically include, temporary or permanent vocal cord paralysis, although these are highly unlikely events.

We hope you will have a smooth and rapid recovery during the postoperative period, and please remember that we are a phone call away at any time. We are here to help you through this period of time with any difficulties or concerns that you may have.

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