Tapia's syndrome in a patient with a mandibular fracture: An unusual case report

Tapia's syndrome is characterized by peripheral damage of the hypoglossal and vagal nerves in the recurrent laryngeal branch at the cervical level. It is associated with trauma due to endotracheal intubation, direct damage to nerves X and XII, carotid dissection involving the ascending pharyngeal artery, fungal infections, and tumors. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings, primarily alterations in swallowing, speech, and tongue mobility. Reports of this syndrome are scarce in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery literature and the treatment remains controversial. The present report describes a 25-year-old male patient who presented Tapia's syndrome with a fracture of the mandibular ramus and the first cervical vertebra due to a firearm projectile.