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Laryngeal Trauma in Athletes and Its Implication for Voice

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Voice Disorders in Athletes, Coaches and other Sports Professionals

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Abstract

Sports-related laryngeal trauma is a common cause of injury in athletes. The injury is due mostly to collision among players and/ or is field related. Sports-related laryngeal injuries vary with the type of sport, age, and gender, with a higher frequency being reported in men and elderly athletes. The clinical presentation of sports-related laryngeal trauma can be misleading and not always reflective of the severity of the injury. The most commonly described symptoms are neck pain, impairment in breathing, dysphonia, and dysphagia. On laryngeal examination, edema, submucosal hematoma, and mucosal lacerations are seen often. In severe cases, exposed cartilages, impaired vocal fold mobility, and detachment of the anterior commissure may be observed. Computerized tomography of the neck is helpful in detecting laryngeal fractures and in excluding associated head and neck injuries.

Securing the airway by intubation under vision is the most emergent step in management when airway competency is compromised. Alternatively, patients can undergo tracheotomy under local or general anesthesia. Most cases of sports-related laryngeal trauma are managed conservatively with steroids, antibiotics, and hydration. Surgical intervention is indicated mainly in patients with extensive laryngeal injury. Indications for laryngeal exploration include multiple mucosal lacerations, thyroarytenoid muscle injury, detached anterior commissure tendon, cricoarytenoid or cricothyroid joint injury, and/or displaced laryngeal fractures. Surgery consists primarily of restoring the mucosal lining by suturing the edges and/or using mucosal flaps and stabilizing the laryngeal fractures using a figure of eight sutures, wires, or mini-plates. Voice therapy at an early stage is crucial in avoiding late and irreversible voice dysfunction. Athletes with laryngeal injury should not resume sports before complete restoration of airway patency.

This chapter reviews the clinical presentation of sports-related laryngeal injuries, their diagnostic workup, and management strategies. This information is essential for healthcare providers, otolaryngologists, and voice therapists. It is also paramount for athletes given the known impact of laryngeal injury on their physical performance, readiness to resume competition, and quality of life in general.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

    Abdul-Latif Hamdan

  2. Adjunct Professor, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Abdul-Latif Hamdan

  3. Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Robert Thayer Sataloff & Mary J. Hawkshaw

  4. Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Wynnewood, PA, USA

    Robert Thayer Sataloff

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  1. Abdul-Latif Hamdan
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Correspondence to Abdul-Latif Hamdan .

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Hamdan, AL., Sataloff, R.T., Hawkshaw, M.J. (2021). Laryngeal Trauma in Athletes and Its Implication for Voice. In: Voice Disorders in Athletes, Coaches and other Sports Professionals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69831-7_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69831-7_9

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