Acute external laryngeal injury.

A retrospective study of 35 patients with acute external laryngeal injury who were treated at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital from January 1989 to 1998 was done. Eighty-six per cent of the patients with blunt trauma had been injured from a motor vehicle accident and the rest had a penetrating injury from a stab wound. The frequent signs and symptoms were hoarseness, skin contusion, pain and subcutaneous emphysema. The severity of the injury was classified into minor and major groups. There were 2 patients in the minor group and 33 in the major group. Both patients in the minor injury group had good result from conservative treatment. All patients in the major injury group, except one with left vocal cord paralysis, required surgical management. No airway problem was found in any patient and only one patient had unintelligible voice after treatment. Twenty-three per cent had minor complications and responded well to conventional treatment. Early diagnosis and proper management gave the best outcome of the patient's airway and voice.