Effect of Intubation on Vocal Cords

[KiranA]

Silly question.

I used to sing. Alot. Like I actively participated in the preforming arts. This past summer, I underwent numerous surgeries in a very short period of time. I think in a period of six weeks, I was intubated seven times. Lately, I've noticed that when I go to hit certain notes, my voice actually cracks or splits, kinda like a boy going through puberty.

At one point in my hospital stay while I was in ICU, I was also hooked up to a ventilator for two weeks. Does anyone know if there are any long term effects of intubation on the vocal cords?

[C5C6]

not silly at all!!!!!!!! I was intubated for 'only' a day when I got operated (not emergency)........

I've wondered the same, if intubation affects vocal cords....i'm afraid they do, because I saw a documentary where a singer was in a crossroad because she had to be intubed but that would affect her carreer......

I also think that in a SCI, if its too 'high' (cervical)and you dont have voluntarily movement in your chest muscles, itaffects the ammount of air you can breathe out and the speed of it, therefore you can't reach very high or low notes (that happens to me).....yet i think my cords are ok because when i sing in a very low voice, i dont split....

[SCI-Nurse]

HI,

You haven't mentioned if you saw an ENT after your intubations, who would check your status. Please review this post and ask any further questions.
/forum/archive/index.php/t-86613.html

AAD

[smokey]

I had an operation about 25 years ago and I woke up in the recovery room while still intubated....I panicked and tried to yank out the tube and roughed up my vocal cords. From that I had no voice at all (except for a weak whisper) for 6 weeks. An ENT doc checked me out and said my vocal cords were not working but should come back. My voice just came back one morning. Even now though my voice cracks a lot and I find it difficult to talk for a long period of time (like only 5-10 minutes) without my voice cracking or getting noticeably weaker. I don't know about singing as I was never into that. Anyway, the intubation incident was definitely detrimental to my voice/vocal cords.

[Rod the Quad]

Silly question.

I used to sing. Alot. Like I actively participated in the preforming arts. This past summer, I underwent numerous surgeries in a very short period of time. I think in a period of six weeks, I was intubated seven times. Lately, I've noticed that when I go to hit certain notes, my voice actually cracks or splits, kinda like a boy going through puberty.

At one point in my hospital stay while I was in ICU, I was also hooked up to a ventilator for two weeks. Does anyone know if there are any long term effects of intubation on the vocal cords?

I too used to sing alot, and since my SCI and being intubated I can no longer "carry a note in a bucket". just one of a number of many things lost to SCI

[addiesue]

Seeing the positions I intubated patients in the field or on an ambulance I don't see how it wouldn't hurt them. We tried to be careful but sometimes you're more worried about breathing than singing. It stinks how many little things people have had to lose because of this injury.

[dunwawry]

Seeing the positions I intubated patients in the field or on an ambulance I don't see how it wouldn't hurt them. We tried to be careful but sometimes your more worried about breathing than singing. It stinks how many little things people have had to lose because of this injury.

At least in the OR, you have the luxury of time on your side and normally can place the patient in an optimal position (not having to worry about possible cervical SCI). But as you said, in the field (and anywhere), establishing an airway is your number one priority. If the patient dies, nothing else much matters.

I agree that getting an ENT consult should be the first stop. Damage to the larnygeal nerves, while unusual, can occur, and the risk is increased with anterior approach surgeries to the cervical spine. Other structures can be displaced as well. Problems are also more commonly seen with long-term intubations, two weeks would be considered long term (if ventilation is predicted to be required much longer than this, usually tracheostomies are performed, which are placed below the larynx). An ENT can diagnose exactly what has occurred and what can be done to fix it.

Kiran, I hope you get your full singing voice back. I am jealous. I wish there was something I could do so that I could just sing without scaring my dogs out of the room.

[Sue Pendleton]

Seeing the positions I intubated patients in the field or on an ambulance I don't see how it wouldn't hurt them. We tried to be careful but sometimes your more worried about breathing than singing. It stinks how many little things people have had to lose because of this injury.

The actor Jan-Michael Vincent suffered two broken necks due to drunken driving. After the second his voice changed so that he lost his role in the second part of the mini-series the Winds of War and War and Rememberence. He sued the ambulance crew and won. I believe he is now broke and living somewhere in Mississippi. Both accidents were his fault, in Hollywood and he's still walking.

[addiesue]

Would like to know more about that lawsuit. My run tickets on bad scenes used to be so long bc I was afraid of a lawsuit. If you don't write it then it didn't happen and they can say you did it wrong.
Still walking and won a lawsuit. He doesn't know how lucky he was. Makes you wonder doesn't it.

[addiesue]

As a side note intubation could only help my singing. I envy those of you who can. I don't even like to sing alone in the shower or car. It's a scary sound.

[dunwawry]

As a side note intubation could only help my singing.

I was thinking along the same lines. Look at Kathleen Turner. Low, raspy. and incredibly sexy. Bob, I think I will take what's behind door #3.

[maryonwheels46]

I have wondered about this for so long. You must have red my ming. I was intubated for two weeks also then they put in the trek how ever you spell it. for six weeks. Can't carry a note now either. If there is a difference with what they call going down the mouth and the throat. I have trouble swallowing, also, sometimes it scares me.
Mary

[maryonwheels46]

OK, there is a name difference in what it is called. Wonder why I choke so much? Scar tissue, maybe.

[Broknwing]

KIRAN!!!!
I dunno if you remember wayyyy back, I talked about it in chat, dunno if I posted about it....I had "granulomas" or nodules on my vocal chords...
These were a direct result of the trauma from multiple intubations and would move up and down as I spoke. They would cause me to lose my voice and get all raspy sometimes. I have a WONDERFUL ENT and he was able to treat them with Aciphex (I found out I also have silent acid refulx which was irritating them) and I didn't have to have surgery on my cords. If you have the same thing going on and can get a good ENT there's a chance you won't have to have surgery on them if they respond to meds(and temporary diet change, ie:limit caffeine and citric acid). If you have acid reflux, that aggrivates them all the more, I still take Aciphex to control it. The dr can do a video scope down your throat(actually thru your nose to your throat) to watch your vocal chords and look at them to see if there's damage or the nodules. It only takes a couple minutes and they can take photos too(I've got my pics somewhere). It's mildly uncomfortable, but not painful. The dr sprays a lidocaine numbing spray up your nose so it doesn't hurt...works well...If ya have any other ?'s re:the nodules or probs I had talking/etc just ask, but from your description it sounds like it's the same type of thing...Find a good ENT(ear nose and throat) dr and get your vocal chords checked out...You probably have nodules/granulomas on them from the trauma of multiple intubations...

[Sue Pendleton]

Would like to know more about that lawsuit. My run tickets on bad scenes used to be so long bc I was afraid of a lawsuit. If you don't write it then it didn't happen and they can say you did it wrong.
Still walking and won a lawsuit. He doesn't know how lucky he was. Makes you wonder doesn't it.

Try these:

http://www.amiannoying.com/2001/view.asp?ID=1546

http://www.celebritynooz.com/watn/jvincent.html

http://www.nndb.com/people/605/000024533/ What a record and still getting bit parts.

Can't find the original website that had him hospitalized twice for broken cervical vertabrae and intubated on the scene for both. But the one site does mention his sueing the Fire Department and winning. I believe he is legally banned from mentioning his starting role...Disney's Jungle Book. He was 16 and driving like a nut on the sets, drinking and buying women twice his age..