Bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is rare for benign thyroid lesions (0.2%). After extubation-stridor, respiratory distress, aphonia occurs due to the closure of the glottic aperture necessitating immediate intervention and emergency intubation or tracheostomy. Intra-operative identification and preservation of the RLN minimizes the risk of injury. It is customary to expect RLN problems after thyroid surgery especially if malignancy, big thyroid, distorted anatomical problems and difficult airway that can lead to intubation trauma. Soon after extubating, it is essential to the anesthetist to check the vocal cord movements on phonation and oropharyngeal reflexes competency. But this case is specially mentioned to convey the message that in spite of absence of above mentioned predisposing factors for complications and good recovery profile specific to thyroid, there can be unanticipated airway compromise that if not attended to immediately may cost patient's life. This is a case of postextubation stridor following subtotal thyroidectomy due to bilateral RLN damage and its management.

INTRODUCTION Endoscopic DCR is routinely performed by otolaryngologists for the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis. However, postoperative stenosis and failure rates are common. OBJECTIVE The objective of our study is to evaluate the role of preserving the mucosal flap in maintaining the patency of neo ostium. The surgical technique involved the creation of nasal mucosal and large posterior lacrimal flaps at the medial lacrimal sac wall and the two flaps were placed in close apposition. Success was defined as complete resolution of epiphora and a patent lacrimal system, evaluated by lacrimal irrigation and endoscopy followed upto 1 year postoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prosective study was conducted in 60 patients and followed for a duration of 1 year in ENT department,KMC,Guntur RESULTS In our study, Symptomatic and anatomic success was seen in 59 out of 60 operations that is 98% success in syringing patency was seen with this technique, which is comparable to external DCR and better than other endoscopic techniques. CONCLUSION Mucosal flap preservation appears to be the single most important innovation in endoscopic DCR surgery, which makes it comfortable for both the surgeon and patient, apart from providing a 98% success rate in our study.