Incidence of postoperative laryngospasm in adults and its management

To determine the incidence of post-operative laryngospasm in throat surgical procedures under general anesthesia. Cross Sectional study was conducted in DHQ Hospital Timergara, district LOWER DIR, Khyber Pakhoonkhwa, Pakistan. Samples were collected through convenience sampling which is a non-probability technique for sample collection. Total study sample size was 398. Patients having ASA physical status I and II, presented for elective throat surgical procedures were included while emergency cases, age less than 15 and greater than 40 were excluded. The incidence of laryngospasm was 0.76% (3/398) out of 398 patients. Individuals who were presented for tonsillectomy under GA were 364, among them 1 (0.54%) patient developed laryngospasm and 34 patients were presented for Thyroidectomy, among them 2 (2.94%) patients developed laryngospasm. We assumed from this study that low age population were more prone to the development of laryngospasm and if reported then should diagnosed early and should be treated for the appropriate cause. Suctioning, deepening the level of anesthesia with propofol and applying continuous positive pressure ventilation with 100% oxygen were the successful techniques for treating laryngospasm.