Intubation granuloma of the larynx: successful eradication with low-dose radiotherapy.

Abstract

Postintubation granuloma of the larynx is a well recognized entity, which has accompanied the increased use of endotracheal intubation for general anesthesia. Voice rest, corticosteroids, antibiotics, antacids, and surgical removal are generally accepted conventional therapies, although select cases are fraught with a high rate of recurrence. We recently evaluated a patient who had undergone 6 surgical excisions of a postintubation laryngeal granuloma during a 5-month interval. The larynx was treated with 1,200 cGy photon irradiation during a 4-day period, and there has been no granuloma recurrence in 36 months of follow-up. The rationale and selection criteria for patients who might benefit from low-dose radiotherapy for recurrent laryngeal granulomas are discussed.