Transient unilateral combined paresis of the hypoglossal nerve and lingual nerve following intubation anesthesia

Tapia's Syndrome: keep it in mind!

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to revise the etiologic features about Tapia's Syndrome (TS), a condition to particularly consider in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA criteria. The Medline and Embase databases were searched from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2020. Initially the search yielded 399 manuscripts, which were reduced to 50, upon the application of inclusion criteria.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

A total of 65 patients were included in the present review. Mean age was 44±17.5 (DS) years (15-95); M:F ratio was 2.3:1. TS involved mainly the left side (3:2) and was rarely bilateral. Only 2 TS reported cases were due to central causes. Peripheral causes were mainly due to postintubation edema (77%), extrinsic compression (15%), vascular disease (3%), other/not defined (5%).

CONCLUSIONS

TS is a rare syndrome that has been related to a combined cranial nerve palsy; while TS due to central causes is very rare, it is mainly related to peripheral causes. A particular attention to TS should be given during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, either since the correlation between Tapia's syndrome, airway management and anesthetic procedures, since the possible implication of the viral infection itself.

Isolated Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy as an Early Symptom of a Granular Cell Tumor

Background: Hypoglossal nerve palsy (HNP) is rather common as a neurological disease. However, as an isolated nerve palsy it is an exceedingly rare phenomenon and points at local pathologies along the peripheral course of the nerve. In this communication we report a granular cell tumor (GCT) arising in the submandibular segment of the hypoglossal nerve. Case-Report: Spontaneous isolated HNP was recognized in a female patient. First line MR-imaging identified a clivus-chordoma. However, involvement of the hypoglossal nerve was highly unlikely according to MR-findings. Finally, ultrasonographic investigation revealed a small submandibular mass which, at histological examination, turned out to be a granular cell tumor arising within the hypoglossal nerve. Conclusions: This is the report of an extremely rare GCT originating within the 12th cranial nerve. The case illustrates that isolated motoric cranial nerve palsy may result from this rare tumor entity. This report also points out the diagnostic value of a simple ultrasonographic investigation to depict pathologic lesions of the submandibular space.

Unilateral Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy in a Patient with a Difficult Airway Requiring Prolonged Intubation

Isolated cranial nerve injury is a very rare complication of anesthesia. Specifically, hypoglossal nerve palsy affects mobility of the tongue and basic functions of swallowing and speech, and injury can be associated with placement and/or positioning of the endotracheal tube. Many etiologies are described that are unrelated to anesthesia such as tumors, stroke, trauma, or surgical dissection. Identification of hypoglossal neuropraxic-type injury from compression or stretching during anesthetic procedures can be difficult and tends to be a diagnosis of exclusion. Here, we present a case of a unilateral isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy following prolonged intubation in a surgery that involved large fluid shifts resulting in tongue swelling, in which establishment of the airway was initially difficult requiring two attempts. We suggest it is equally as possible that stretch injury occurred during airway instrumentation versus prolonged compression of the nerve between the endotracheal tube and the hyoid bone, possibly relating to a swollen tongue. We outline some treatments that have been used in previous reports and analyze their relation to improvements in symptoms. We conclude that instrumentation of the airway and prolonged intubation are both potential risk factors for hypoglossal nerve palsy, and identification of these risk factors can improve patient care by prompting patient discussions, guiding intraoperative management, and initiating earlier therapies.

Transient aphasia following general anesthesia in patient undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic surgery: A case report and literature review

Aphasia could be a manifestation of postoperative psychoemotional disorder. Early differential diagnosis is important.

Tongue Tied after Shoulder Surgery: A Case Series and Literature Review

This article presents three cases of cranial nerve palsy following shoulder surgery with general anesthesia in the beach chair position. All patients underwent preoperative ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve block. Two cases of postoperative hypoglossal and one case of combined hypoglossal and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies (Tapia's syndrome) were identified. Through this case series, we provide a literature review identifying postoperative cranial nerve palsies in addition to the discussion of possible etiologies. We suggest that intraoperative patient positioning and/or airway instrumentation is most likely causative. We conclude that the beach chair position is a risk factor for postoperative hypoglossal nerve palsy and Tapia's syndrome.

Incidence and risk factors for postoperative lingual neuropraxia following airway instrumentation: A retrospective matched case-control study

Background

Lingual nerve injury or neuropraxia is a rare but potentially serious perioperative complication following airway instrumentation during general anesthesia. This study explored the the incidence and perioperative risk factors for lingual nerve injury in patients receiving laryngeal mask (LMA) or endotracheal (ETGA) general anesthesia in a single center experience.

Methods and results

All surgical patients in our hospital who received LMA or ETGA from 2009 to 2013 were included, and potential perioperative risk factors were compared. Matched controls were randomly selected (in 1:5 ratio) from the same database in non-case patients. A total of 36 patients in the records had reported experiencing tongue numbness after anesthesia in this study. Compared with the non-case surgical population (n = 54314), patients with tongue numbness were significantly younger (52.2±19.5 vs 42.0±14.5; P = 0.002) and reported lower ASA physical statuses (2.3±0.7 vs 1.6±0.6; P<0.001). Patient gender, anesthesia technique used, and airway device type (LMA or ETGA) did not differ significantly across the two groups. A significantly higher proportion of patients underwent operations of the head-and-neck region (38.9 vs 15.6%; P = 0.002) developed tongue numbness after anesthesia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that head-and-neck operations remained the most significant independent risk factor for postoperative lingual nerve injury (AOR 7.63; 95% CI 2.03–28.70).

Conclusion

The overall incidence rate of postoperative lingual neuropraxy was 0.066% in patients receiving general anesthesia with airway device in place. Young and generally healthy patients receiving head-and-neck operation are at higher risk in developing postoperative lingual neuropraxy. Attention should be particularly exercised to reduce the pressure of endotracheal tube or laryngeal mask on the tongue during head-and-neck operation to avert the occurrence of postoperative lingual neuropraxy.

Transient hypoglossal nerve palsy after transoral intubation for general anesthesia

Hypoglossal nerve palsy induces palsy in the ipsilateral lingual muscles, resulting in tongue deviation and articulation disorder. It is a rare condition that may stem from a variety of causes. Therefore, it is important to consider the possible causes of hypoglossal nerve palsy related to surgery or anesthesia, including intubation, the surgical positions, and mask ventilation during recovery.

Isolated bilateral Tapia’s syndrome after liver transplantation: A case report and review of the literature

AIM

To describe one case of bilateral Tapia’s syndrome in a liver transplanted patient and to review the literature.

METHODS

We report a case of bilateral Tapia’s syndrome in a 50-year-old man with a history of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus child. A liver cirrhosis and a bi-nodular hepatocellular carcinoma, who underwent liver transplantation after general anesthesia under orotracheal intubation. Uneventful extubation was performed in the intensive care unit during the following hours. On postoperative day (POD) 3, he required urgent re-laparotomy due to perihepatic hematoma complicated with respiratory gram negative bacilli infection. On POD 13, patient was extubated, but required immediate re-intubation due to severe respiratory failure. At the following day a third weaning failure occurred, requiring the performance of a percutaneous tracheostomy. Five days later, the patient was taken off mechanical ventilation and severe dysphagia, sialorrea and aphonia revealed. A computerized tomography and a magnetic resonance imaging of the head and neck excluded central nervous injury. A stroboscopy showed bilateral paralysis of vocal cords and tongue and a diagnosis of bilateral Tapia’s syndrome was performed. With conservative management, including a prompt establishment of a speech and swallowing rehabilitation program, the patient achieved full recovery within four months after liver transplantation. We carried out MEDLINE search for the term Tapia’s syndrome. The inclusion criteria had no restriction by language or year but must provide sufficient available data to exclude duplicity. We described the clinical evolution of the patients, focusing on author, year of publication, age, sex, preceding problem, history of endotracheal intubation, unilateral or bilateral presentation, diagnostic procedures, type of treatment, follow-up, and outcome.

RESULTS

Several authors mentioned the existence of around 70 cases, however only 54 fulfilled our inclusion criteria. We found only five published studies of bilateral Tapia’s syndrome. However this is the first case reported in the literature in a liver transplanted patient. Most patients were male and young and the majority of cases appeared as a complication of airway manipulation after any type of surgery, closely related to the positioning of the head during the procedure. The diagnosis was founded on a rapid suspicion, a complete head and neck neurological examination and a computed tomography and or a magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and neck to establish the origin of central or peripheral type of Tapia’s syndrome and also the nature of the lesion, ischemia, abscess formation, tumor or hemorrhage. Apart from corticosteroids and anti- inflammatory therapy, the key of the treatment was an intensive and multidisciplinary speech and swallowing rehabilitation. Most studies have emphasized that the recovery is usually completed within four to six months.

CONCLUSION

Tapia’s syndrome is almost always a transient complication after airway manipulation. Although bilateral Tapia’s syndrome after general anesthesia is exceptionally rare, this complication should be recognized in patients reporting respiratory obstruction with complete dysphagia and dysarthria after prolonged intubation. Both anesthesiologists and surgeons should be aware of the importance of its preventing measurements, prompt diagnosis and intensive speech and swallowing rehabilitation program.