Tapia's syndrome following cervical laminoplasty -A case report-

Korean J Anesthesiol. 2013 Feb;64(2):172-4. doi: 10.4097/kjae.2013.64.2.172. Epub 2013 Feb 15.

Abstract

Tapia's syndrome is the palsy of the 10th and 12th cranial nerves, resulting in ipsilateral paralysis of the vocal cord and tongue. It is a rare complication which is related to the anesthetic airway management and positioning of the patient's head during the surgery. We describe a patient with a postoperative unilateral Tapia's syndrome, after general anesthesia, with uncomplicated endotracheal intubation. The patient's symptoms improved gradually for three months.

Keywords: Airway management; Tapia's syndrome.