Dexmedetomidine supplemented with local anesthesia for awake laryngoplasty

Received 8 January 2008; received in revised form 31 October 2008; accepted 10 November 2008. published online 10 September 2009.

Abstract

Certain laryngeal procedures require a sedated patient who is responsive to allow for the assessment of vocalization. Dexmedetomidine as a single agent for sedation and anxiolysis for awake laryngoplasty in a patient with unilateral vocal fold paralysis is presented.

Keywords: Awake laryngoplasty, Dexmedetomidine, Otorhinolaryngologic surgery, Unilateral vocal fold paralysis

a Departments of General Anesthesiology and Outcomes Research, Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA

b Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck, Department of Otolaryngology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA

Corresponding author. Department of General Anesthesiology/E31, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. Tel.: +1 216 444 3746; fax: +1 216 444 2294.

PII: S0952-8180(09)00210-4

doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2008.11.009

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