Complications of microlaryngeal surgery

Patients requiring direct laryngoscopy or microlaryngeal surgery are usually admitted to hospital and observed for at least one night post-operatively. To assess whether these procedures are suitable for day-case surgery a series of 294 patients was reviewed. In 288 patients the post-operative course was entirely uncomplicated. Two patients died in the early post-operative period, one of causes unrelated to surgery or anaesthesia and one of a post-operative myocardial infarction. Four patients developed a non-fatal complication. It is concluded that significant post-operative problems are rare after direct laryngoscopy, and in selected patients it may be performed as a day-case procedure.