Nasal Surgery After Accident - Worried About Vocal Cord Damage with General Anesthesia

I'm a singer and I'm worried about having rhinoplasty. weeks ago, I was hit in the nose and I have not been breathing right since. I feel my septum blocking one nostril and the bone at the top of my nose feels like it's been chipped. The last time I had general anesthesia, I had a very sore throat and hoarse voice for weeks after. I don't want to do permanent damage to my vocal cords, as they're my main source of income. How can I fix my nose while protecting my voice WITHOUT general anesthesia?

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2 Doctor Answers | Asked by singernyc in NYC

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Nasal Surgery After Accident

You may have nasal surgery under local with sedation as well as general anesthesia with LMA which does not go through the vocal cords and therefore cause hoarseness.

Rhinoplasty

Your concerns are valid given your history. Although some surgeons routinely perform rhinoplasty under IV sedation with local anesthetic I do not. It sounds like you need septal surgery as well and I suspect even fewer surgeons are willing to do that under less than general anesthesia. There is a way to use a LMA and still undergo general anesthesia. That avoids placing a tube past the vocal cords. My operating room anesthesia staff however will not use the LMA on rhinoplasty cases because... more