Laryngocele: A rare long-term complication following neck surgery?

Introduction: Laryngocele is an abnormal dilatation of the laryngeal saccule. Suggested etiologies include congenital enlargement of the saccule, weakness of laryngeal tissues, and increased intralaryngeal pressure. Only a few reports have described the late evolution of laryngocele following neck surgery. Case Presentation: Two heavy smoking patients presented with hoarseness in voice because of laryngocele, which has evolved many years following ipsilateral neck surgery: hemithyroidectomy 20 years earlier and frontolateral hemilaringectomy 12 years earlier. Both patients were treated similarly by an endoscopic laser-assisted resection of the laryngocele. No other risk factor could have been attributed to its development. Follow-up was unremarkable. Discussion: Laryngeal locus minoris violation may result in the development of laryngocele in the long run following neck surgery and may be considered as a late rare surgical complication. In addition, heavy smoking or its sequelae may predispose this condition.