The document discusses laryngeal edema, which is swelling of the laryngeal mucous membranes that can close off the airway opening and cause life-threatening hypoxia or suffocation. Some causes of laryngeal edema include hereditary factors, valve disorders, and thoracic surgery. Clinical features include hoarseness, dyspnea, aspiration, neck swelling, inability to speak, and cough. Management involves maintaining the airway, avoiding irritants, establishing ventilation, administering oxygen and corticosteroids, and potentially performing an emergency tracheostomy.

1. Mr. Manikandan.T,
RN., RM., M.Sc(N)., D.C.A .,(Ph.D)
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Medical Surgical Nursing,
VMCON, Puducherry.

2. INTRODUCTION
• The larynx is a stiff box that will not stretch. It
contains a narrow space between the vocal
cords (glottis), through which air must pass

3. DEFINITION
• Obstruction of the larynx because of edema is
a serious, often fatal, condition. Swelling of
the laryngeal mucous membranes may close
off the opening tightly, leading to life-
threatening hypoxia or suffocation.

4. MEANING
• Acute Laryngeal Edema:
edema formation on larynx with inflammation,
injury characterized by Hoarseness, dyspnea. Its
managed by tracheostomy, epinephrine 1: 1000
• Laryngospasm:
spasm of laryngeal muscle occurs after
administration general anesthesia, traumatic
attempt at endotracheal intubation. Managed by
establish airway, oxygen, nerotransmitters blocking
agent – succinyl choline

5. MEANING
• Laryngeal paralysis :loss of sensation results of
neck surgery, tumour
• Laryngeal injury: it often result from trauma
during motor vehicle accident

6. CAUSES
• Hereditary
• Valve disorder
• Thracic surgery

7. CLINICAL FEATURES
• Hoarsenesss
• Dypnea
• Aspiration of food/ saliva
• Neck swelling
• Inabity to speak
• Cough

8. Management
• A thorough history can be very useful in diagnosing and treating the
patient with a laryngeal obstruction.
• Maintain airway
• Avoid heavy alcohol or tobacco consumption, current medications,
history of airway problems, recent infections, pain or fever, dental
pain or poor dentition, and any previous surgeries, radiation
therapy, or trauma.
• Rarely, patients with nasogastric tubes in place develop a
• postcricoid ulceration (referred to as “nasogastric tube syndrome”).
• This ulceration affects the posterior cricoarytenoid
• muscles, causing vocal cord abduction paralysis and
• ultimately upper airway obstruction .

9. MANAGEMENT
• Corticosteroid
• Subdiaphragmatic abdominal thrust maneuver
• Establish airway
• Oxygen
• Ventilation
• Emergency tracheostomy
• arytenoidectomy