Tapia's syndrome following septoplasty: case report and review of the literature

Tapia's syndrome is a rare complication of several surgeries performed under general anesthesia, due to a lesion of hypoglossal and vagal nerves. A healthy 31-year-old man was a candidate for septoturbinoplasty. The next morning after surgery, the patient complained of dysphonia and difficulty in swallowing, manifesting as unilateral deviation of the tongue and ipsilateral vocal cord paralysis. However, all symptoms resolved completely within six months after surgery with conservative treatment. The aim of this study is to describe the first case of Tapia's syndrome occurring after a septoplasty, which is important to report even for medical legal issues.