Evaluation of Superior Laryngeal Nerve Block for Management of Laryngeal Sensory Neuropathy.

Abstract

Laryngeal sensory neuropathy (LSN) is an under-recognized cause of chronic laryngopharyngeal symptoms, including cough. This study aimed to investigate the role of superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) block in the management of LSN.A prospective interventional study was conducted at a tertiary care center over two years (January 2023 to December 2024). Adult patients presenting with unexplained chronic laryngopharyngeal symptoms were included in the study. LSN was diagnosed as a diagnosis of exclusion following a comprehensive evaluation to rule out other identifiable illnesses. SLN block was done with perineural infiltration of Triamcinolone and Lignocaine. Subjective improvement of symptoms and the cough severity index (CSI) were used for assessment at one- and four-months post-intervention.After the initial screening, 72 cases were enrolled, of which 30 (41.67%) were diagnosed with LSN. Of these, 22 patients opted for an SLN block. At one-month follow-up, 18 patients (81.8%) reported partial or complete symptomatic improvement, while four (18.2%) reported no symptomatic relief. The mean CSI score decreased significantly from 13.19 ± 8.13 (pre-intervention) to 7.63 ± 6.94 at one-month follow-up (p = 0.007). No adverse events were noted.SLN block appears to be an effective and safe treatment option for management of LSN. The high proportion of LSN (41.66%) among patients with unexplained chronic laryngopharyngeal symptoms suggests that it is more common than previously recognized. Further studies with comprehensive designs and greater number of participants are recommended to establish definitive treatment guidelines.