Laryngospasm is a serious event that can result in partial or complete upper airway obstruction. It is a common complication during recovery phase of anaesthesia, resulting from acute irritation of the vocal folds. We report a rare case of laryngospasm secondary to a multinodular goitre that settled after treatment. We postulate that the enlarged thyroid gland can lead to direct irritation of the laryngeal nerve as possible cause of repeated episodes of laryngospasm in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a multinodular goitre as the underlying cause of laryngospasm.
Airway Obstruction ; Laryngismus ; Goitre, Nodular

Pulmonary edema that follows upper airway obstruction may occur in a variety of clinical situations. Post anesthetic laryngospasm has been implicated as the most frequent cause of this syndrome. Risk factors for development of post laryngospasm pulmonary edema include difficult intubation; nasal, oral, or pharyngeal surgical site; and obesity with obstructive apnea. We report a case that developed acute bilateral pulmonary edema after laryngospasm induced by failed intubation.
Airway Obstruction ; Apnea ; Intubation* ; Laryngismus ; Obesity ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Risk Factors

Acute pulmonary edema associated with intense laryngospasm during or after anesthesia seems to be a rare complication. Although emergency reestablishment of the airway may avert fatal hypoxia, subsequent morbidity may follow from the delayed effects of the obstruction. We recently observed a 16-year-old, 5kg boy, with inguinal hernia who developed laryngospasm and pulmonary edema following a herniorrhaphy and he had no evidence of cardiac enlargement or cardiovascular disease.
Adolescent ; Anesthesia ; Anoxia ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Emergencies ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Herniorrhaphy ; Humans ; Laryngismus* ; Male ; Pulmonary Edema*

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) during anesthetic recovery is a rare, but potentially serious complication for patients who are undergoing different surgical procedures. The proposed mechanism is the generation of high negative pressure during markedly respiratory effort and upper airway obstruction from glottis closure and laryngospasm, and this all leads to pulmonary edema. We report here on a case of a healthy 26-year-old male who immediately developed NPPE and hemoptysis following extubation after partial rib resection due to benign rib tumor; the patient was treated conservatively. We also include a review of the review literatures.
Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; Glottis ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Laryngismus ; Male ; Postoperative Care ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Ribs*

There are many predisposing factors for acute pulmonary edema, Pulmonary edema in well recognized complication of acute airway obstruction, especially in small children, but rarely seen in adults. We present a case of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema that developed in adult following removal of endotracheal intubation after esophagoscopy, The sequence of events suggest that laryngospasm precipitated the development of the pulmonary edema in this patient.
Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; Causality ; Child ; Esophagoscopy* ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngismus ; Pulmonary Edema*

BACKGROUND: Because desflurane can cause airway reactivity, the use of opioids are aimed at its reduction. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of continuous remifentanil infusion on the airway reactivity during desflurane inhalation. METHODS: 108 adult ASA physical status class I patients were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into four groups.The breathing circuit was primed with 8 vol% desflurane in 3 L/min each of N2O and O2. Anesthesia was induced with 0.2 mg/kg of intravenous etomidate. After 2 minutes, either 20 ml/hr saline, or 0.15, 0.25 or 0.35g/kg/min remifentanil, groups S, R1, R2 and R3, respectively, was infused. Each patient inhaled the gas mixture through a tight fitting facemask. During this period, the coughing, secretions, breathing hold, laryngospasms, excitatory movements and hemodynamics were measured. RESULTS: The coughing, spasms, secretions and excitatory movements were significantly lower in the remifentanil than the saline infusion group (P 0.05). However, the breathing hold was significantly higher in group R3 (P 0.001). The mean arterial pressure and heart rate were more stable in groups R1 and R2. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that groups R1 and R2 had significantly reduced airway reactivity, with stabilize hemodynamics, during desflurane inhalation.
Adult ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Cough ; Etomidate ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Laryngismus ; Respiration ; Spasm

The clinical syndrome of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a condition where inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) induces attacks of upper and lower airway reactions, including rhinorrhea and varying degrees of bronchospasm and laryngospasm. Although the reaction is not IgE-mediated, patients can also present with anaphylactic hypersensitivity reactions, including hypotension, after exposure to COX-1 inhibiting drugs. All patients with AERD have underlying nasal polyps and intractable sinus disease which may be difficult to treat with standard medical and surgical interventions. This review article focuses on the management of AERD patients with a particular emphasis on aspirin desensitization and continuous treatment with aspirin.
Aspirin ; Asthma ; Bronchial Spasm ; Cyclooxygenase 1 ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypotension ; Laryngismus ; Nasal Polyps

Pulmonary edema is well recognized complication of acute upper airway obstruction, especially in small children, but rarely seen in adults. It usually follows relief of the obstruction and is likely to be of noncardiogenic origin. The mechanism by which an upper airway obstruction causes pulmonary edema is likely due to the combination of the increased reductions in the interstitial hydrostatic pressure and increased capilary permeabillity. Hypoxia is another aggravating factor. We present a case of acute pulmonary edema caused by laryngospasm that occurred in an adult patient after treatment for upper airway obstruction following extubation of the traches.
Adult* ; Airway Obstruction* ; Anoxia ; Child ; Humans ; Hydrostatic Pressure ; Laryngismus ; Lung ; Pulmonary Edema*

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to compare responses to the insertion of an intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) and to the intubation of an endotracheal tube according to insertion time when used with sevoflurane and without muscle relaxant. METHODS: We used 50% N2O-O2-8% sevoflurane and a 10% topical lidocaine spray. Forty-eight patients were randomized into four groups according to insertion time (each, n = 12). The ILMA was inserted at 3, 4, 5, and 6 minutes after sevoflurane induction and intubation was performed at 1 minute after ILMA insertion. Responses to intubation, such as vital signs, jaw relaxation, coughing, biting, movements, and laryngospasm were compared according to ILMA insertion time. RESULTS: At 3 minutes, overall responses to insertion and intubation were worse than at 4, 5, and 6 minutes (P < 0.05). At 4, 5, and 6 minutes, responses to the insertion of the ILMA and the intubation of endotracheal tube were satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of ILMA at 4 minutes after sevoflurane induction proved satisfactory, and this could be applied in clinical practice.
Cough ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Jaw ; Laryngeal Masks* ; Laryngismus ; Lidocaine ; Relaxation ; Vital Signs

Pulmonary Edema is a complication of acute upper airway obstruction secondary to laryngospasm. This serious complication is treated promptly to minimize the delayed morbidity and mortality among the patients. Acute pulmonary edema followed the event in minutes to hours and required ventilatory assistance to maintain oxygenation. All patients eventually respond to fluid restriction diuretics and steroids. We present a case of pulmonary edema that occured in a 37 years old healthy adult after extubation caused by a laryngospasm.
Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; Diuretics ; Edema ; Humans ; Laryngismus ; Larynx ; Lung ; Mortality ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Spasm ; Steroids