Laryngeal Granulomatous Polyp after Short-term Intubation of a Child

It is well known that prolonged endotracheal intubation may result in formation of laryngeal granulomata. It is rare to find such lesions following short-term intubation. Furthermore, the virtual absence of such granulomata in children has been attributed to certain characteristics of the pediatric larynx. We report a 7-year-old child who developed a laryngeal granulomatous polyp following endotracheal intubation for less than 12 hours. A discussion of the incidence, pathogenesis, and treatment of this and other postintubation laryngeal lesions follows.