Abstract Benign vocal-fold lesions such as polyps, nodules, and cysts usually arise from phonotrauma or chronic irritation (e.g., reflux, smoking). Post-anesthetic laryngeal complaints like hoarseness, sore throat, or dysphagia are common but typically resolve within 24-72 hours. Persistence beyond this period should prompt evaluation for structural lesions including edema, ulceration, granuloma, or paresis. While numerous reports describe post-intubation laryngeal granulomas, the development of a true vocal-fold polyp on the after short-term intubation is exceedingly uncommon. “Post-intubation polyps” in literature almost always denote granulomatous lesions rather than mid-membranous polyps. To date, no published case has documented a newly formed, pedunculated true vocal-fold polyp arising after routine intubation, making this a unique presentation. A 55-year-old female with a history of allergic asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease with Barrett esophagus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and bipolar disorder presented to a pulmonology clinic with a persistent sensation of a foreign body (flap-like) in her throat and dysphonia. The follow up was for post extubation bronchospasm which was diagnosed as asthma exacerbation. patient had undergone short term intubation for laproscopic cholecystectomy. Antibiotics and short-acting β-agonists offered no improvement. Physical examination revealed mild end-expiratory wheeze without stridor. She was referred to otolaryngology for persistence of her symptoms. Flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy demonstrated a 5 mm pedunculated, ball-valving polyp arising from the mid-portion of the right true vocal fold, intermittently contacting the contralateral fold during respiration and phonation. Patient was scheduled for suspension microlaryngoscopy with polypectomy. Post polypectomy, her foreign-body sensation and dysphonia resolved completely. Histopathology confirmed a benign vocal-cord polyp without dysplasia. Discussion and Conclusion Post-intubation laryngeal injury occurs in up to one-third of patients, yet the vast majority are transient. When chronic lesions develop, they typically localize to the posterior glottis and manifest as contact ulcers, granulomas, or webs. Development of a mid-membranous, true vocal-fold polyp after short-term intubation is extraordinarily rare; the literature contains only sporadic mentions of subglottic or posterior “polyps,” nearly all granulomatous in nature. The presumed mechanism involves focal mucosal trauma and capillary rupture within Reinke’s space due to tube contact, cuff pressure, or coughing during emergence. This case expands the recognized consequences of short-term intubation, demonstrating that a de novo ball-valving true vocal-fold polyp may develop even in the absence of classic phonotraumatic or chronic inflammatory risk factors. Early recognition prevents unnecessary respiratory therapies and facilitates definitive management. This abstract is funded by: None
Khan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.