Tracheal Shave
(Chondrolaryngoplasty/Adam’s Apple Reduction)
Conveniently located to serve Washington DC, Arlington, Bethesda
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What is a Tracheal Shave?
A Tracheal Shave, or Adam’s Apple reduction is a surgery to remove the masculinizing cartilage in the neck area. During puberty, this cartilage becomes larger due to testosterone. This prominent cartilage can cause distress for a patient as it is generally a masculine secondary sexual characteristic.
Who is a good candidate for surgery?
A good candidate for surgery is a healthy patient who desires reduction of a prominent area of cartilage. Thin patients tend to have cartilage that is more prominent.
How is the surgery performed?
This surgery is done in the operating room for increased safety. We first visualize the vocal cords with a camera while you are asleep to minimize risk of injury. A small incision is made in a neck crease and the extra cartilage is identified. The cartilage is removed to flatten the neck and the incision is closed. Although this surgery can be performed in an office setting, this tends to be a “blind” procedure where the level of the vocal cords cannot be adequately assessed. This puts the vocal cords at higher risk of injury which can lead to permanent hoarseness or voice changes.
Recovery
Recovery is very quick and you should be able to return to work in 1-2 days. Bruising tends to resolve in 1-2 weeks. Some patients have some early hoarseness due to swelling, but this generally resolves fairly soon after surgery. Sutures are removed a few days after surgery.
Risks
- Vocal cord injury – very uncommon due to direct visualization, but could lead to hoarseness or voice changes
- Under correction – in some patients, there is a limitation in how much the cartilage can be removed safely due to vocal cord position. This surgery addressed the thyroid cartilage, in some patients the cricoid cartilage may be prominent and Is not generally reduced
- Visible scar – we try to hide the scar, however in patients who have poor scarring, there is a higher chance of visible/poor scarring
- Poor cosmesis – unlikely, but any surgery has this risk
Dr. Praful Ramineni
Plastic SurgeON IN WASHINGTON D.C.
Dr. Ramineni is the founder of District Plastic Surgery. He is board certified and has over 15 years of experience in plastic and reconstructive surgery. He started his career as one of the busiest surgeons at Medstar Washington Hospital Center with a focus on complex reconstructive surgery including cancer and trauma reconstruction, microsurgery and aesthetic surgery.
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