Risk Factors for Lingual Nerve Injury Associated With Suspension Laryngoscopy

Purpose:This prospective study was designed to identify risk factors for lingual nerve injury as a complication of suspension laryngoscopy.Methods:Fifty-six adult patients (19 females and 37 males) who underwent microlaryngeal surgery (MLS) using the suspension laryngoscopy procedure under general anesthesia at our otorhinolaryngology department between January 2016 and January 2018 were enrolled in this study. All operations were performed using only a cold-steel microlaryngeal surgical set, and operations using laser and radiofrequency energy were not included. Unilateral or bilateral paresthesia, numbness of the tongue, and/or a change in taste sensation (dysgeusia) were considered to indicate lingual nerve injury.Results:Operation time and difficulties during intraoperative intubation and/or suspension of the larynx were major risk factors for lingual nerve injury following suspension laryngoscopy (P = .015 and P = .011, respectively). Difficulties in preoperative flexible fiberoptic examination and i...