Postintubation granuloma is thought to be one of the lesion in the larynx resulted from laryngeal trauma due to intubation. Since Clausen reported the disease in 1932, it has been known as one of the late sequelae of tracheal intubation.
Considering the extent to which endotracheal intubation is practiced today, postintubation laryngeal granuloma is rare. Nevertheless such granulomas are not so uncommon as to be disregarded.
Authors reviewed 10 eases of clinically diagnosed intubation granuloma from 1984 to 1993.
1) Age distribution was from 22 to 58 years old. There was no case under age of 20.
2) The sex ratio of female to male was 9 : 1, and predominantly female.
3) The site of lesion was the vocal process of arytenoid cartilage in 9 cases and subglottic in a case.
4) The lesion of side was bilateral in 2 cases and unilateral in 8 cases. In cases showing unilateral lesion, both sides were involved equally.
5) The chief complaint was hoarseness in all cases.
6) The mean duration of intubation was 9.1 hours, ranged 1 hour to 72 hours.
7) All cases were operated with the suspension laryngoscopy by use of laryngeal forceps, scissors, knife or laser.
8) Revision surgery was performed in 2 cases and there were no evidence of recurrence during the follow up period(2 months).
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