SUMMARY
Objective
To highlight an unusual mechanism of laryngeal injury.
Methods
Case report and literature review.
Results
A 66-year-old male ingested an over-the-counter preparation of bile acids as a dietary
supplement. The capsule lodged in the patient's pharynx, and he sustained a caustic
injury to the supraglottic and glottic larynx. His injury was managed conservatively,
and his symptoms gradually resolved over a period of 8 weeks. A follow-up laryngoscopy
at 8 weeks and 6 months showed no signs of injury. A barium swallow at 8 weeks was
normal at that time and videostroboscopy results normalized with resolution of the
injury as well.
Conclusions
Caustic injury to the upper aerodigestive tract from pill ingestion is uncommon, and
laryngeal injury even less so. Urgent evaluation should be undertaken, and appropriate
therapies instituted promptly. Laryngeal injury can respond to conservative therapy,
but there is a lack of clinical information to evaluate optimum treatment of this
unusual injury.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 16, 2021
Accepted:
November 27,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
