Tapia's Syndrome After Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Andrew J Steehler, Ryan Rothman, Birkaran Sadhar, Manick Saran, Sidney P Lipman, Ruthann I Lipman

Journal: Ear, nose, & throat journal 2025;104(1_suppl):29S-38S

PMID: 35829719

Abstract

Tapia's syndrome is considered a neuropraxic injury of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and hypoglossal nerve which commonly presents after postoperative general anesthesia as hoarseness and dysphagia. Clinicians should consider this diagnosis in those presenting with symptoms of cranial nerve X and cranial nerve XII injury in the post-extubation setting for prompt diagnosis and management. Here, we report a rare case of Tapia's syndrome following cardiac surgery which was then treated with carboxymethylcellulose gel implant injection.

Address: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hamot, Erie, PA, USA.; Medicine Institute, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA, USA.

DOI: 10.1177/01455613221113807

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MeSH Terms: Humans, Anesthesia, General, Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium, Cardiac Surgical Procedures, Deglutition Disorders, Hoarseness, Hypoglossal Nerve Injuries, Postoperative Complications, Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries, Syndrome