Transient palsy of peripheral cranial nerves following open heart surgery

Soyal ÖB, Turan S, Durak P, Erdemli Ö
Correspondence: Dr Özlem Balk?z Soyal, ozlem@soyal.org

ABSTRACT
A 32-year-old man developed hoarseness of voice, inability to swallow and restricted movement of the tongue after open heart surgery. Peripheral injury of the cranial nerves IX, X and XII was suspected, and it was thought that the duration of the surgery together with the endotracheal tube cuff and trans-oesophageal echocardiography probe pressure, as well as the head and neck position might have been the causes of this complication.

Keywords: cranial nerve palsy, glossopharyngeal nerve, hypoglossal nerve, superior laryngeal nerve transoesophageal echocardiography probe, paralysis
Singapore Med J 2006; 47(5): 422-424