Vocal fold injection is used for the management of glottal incompetence from various causes. The procedure is well tolerated and has few reported complications. We present a case of a 66-year-old man with long-lasting hoarseness secondary to vocal fold atrophy, who underwent an uneventful bilateral vocal fold injection with autologous fat. While in the recovery area, he experienced profuse sweating approximately 30 minutes after the surgical procedure. His blood glucose value was measured at 24 mg/dL, and plasmatic insulin level was 246 mU/L. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a systemic side effect after vocal fold lipoinjection.

At facilities that offer cardiac surgery services, minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery is fast becoming commonplace, particularly in aortic, tricuspid, and mitral valve procedures. Use of a coronary sinus catheter, a specialized central venous catheter, to monitor hypothermic depth and provide retrograde cardioplegia has been widely adopted at Tufts Medical Center. Complications of coronary sinus catheter insertion are considered rare but are well documented. In contrast, complications of catheter removal, such as the catheter fracture that we report here, are not well described in the literature. In this case, the catheter tip was retrieved without further patient harm or additional invasive interventions.