{"id":828,"date":"2009-06-07T17:06:20","date_gmt":"2009-06-07T22:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2009\/06\/07\/hoarse-voice-loss-ventilator-intubation\/"},"modified":"2025-06-15T01:05:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T06:05:25","slug":"hoarse-voice-loss-ventilator-intubation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2009\/06\/07\/hoarse-voice-loss-ventilator-intubation\/","title":{"rendered":"Patricia, 71, Experiences Hoarse Voice After Difficult Intubation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks to a great support group and medical team, I made a full recovery after my double heart valve surgery. However, I did experience a series of physical and emotional challenges during my recovery<\/a>. One of those challenges was specific to my voice. As Robyn (my wife) could tell you, my voice became incredibly hoarse following surgery.<\/p>\n

So you know, I’m not the only patient that experienced a hoarse voice<\/em> following cardiac surgery. Patricia, age 71, just sent me an interesting email which details her vocal problems following a difficult insertion of the ventilator tube<\/a>. Here is what she writes:<\/p>\n

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Hi Adam – For two months after my aortic valve replacement<\/a> I had great trouble talking. My surgeon told me that I\u00a0 had a “difficult intubation” during the procedure.<\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, I could not find any answers as to the prognoses of my vocal cord injury. And, my anesthesiologist did not answer my emails or letters sent to her office. I found no answers anywhere, even after combing the Internet.<\/p>\n

In the hospital, the nurses and doctors told me that hoarseness is normal and my voice would come back in a few days. So for two months, I went crazy thinking that I would never again have a normal voice. Then, little by little, at the end of two months… I was able to speak with my normal voice (98%).<\/p>\n

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\"VentilatorPatient With Ventilator Tube Inserted<\/div>\n

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I just wish I had been warned that sometimes a patient has a difficult intubation and it may take as long as two months to get your voice back.\u00a0 I am so surprised that my voice came back and now I am over the feeling that I was alone with no answers regarding my voice loss.<\/p>\n

Overall, the surgery was a success. Thanks again for your heart valve surgery book<\/a>. It really helped me relax!<\/p>\n

Related Links:<\/p>\n