Vol. 11, Issue 3, Part B (2025)

Pharyngeal packing is often used in head and neck surgeries to help protect the airway, improve visibility during the procedure, and reduce nausea and vomiting after surgery. But when it comes to maxillofacial trauma, its role is less clear, and there's surprisingly little research about the risks and potential legal consequences. This review takes a closer look at how pharyngeal packing is used in trauma surgeries, focusing on the practical benefits, complications, and the challenges around documentation and legal issues, especially when packs are accidentally left behind. After reviewing studies published between 2000 and 2025, we found that while pharyngeal packing can help with things like controlling the airway and improving the surgical field in trauma cases, it’s not without its risks especially when packs are retained, leading to aspiration, obstruction, or other serious complications. The research also highlights the fact that there's no standard protocol for inserting or removing these packs, which can contribute to medicolegal issues. Although cases of retained packs are rare, they’ve caused significant harm and sparked litigation. As a result, it’s clear that there needs to be more awareness, better communication between surgical teams, and standardized safety protocols to help prevent these avoidable issues.