Hostname: page-component-76d6cb85b7-lrvh5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-07-23T09:38:28.454Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Uncommon and rare causes of vocal fold paralysis detected via imaging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2013

B Sobrino-Guijarro ,
J S Virk ,
A Singh  and
R K Lingam
B Sobrino-Guijarro
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain
J S Virk
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Surgery, Northwick Park & Central Middlesex Hospital, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
A Singh
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Surgery, Northwick Park & Central Middlesex Hospital, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
R K Lingam*
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Northwick Park & Central Middlesex Hospital, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr R K Lingam, Department of Radiology, Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Rd, London HA1 3UJ, UK Fax: +44 (0)208 8693098 E-mail: ravi.lingam@nhs.net
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Cross-sectional imaging can be used to trace the course of the vagus nerve and its laryngeal branches to detect many of the causes of vocal fold paralysis. The most frequent aetiologies are surgical injury and tumoural involvement of the recurrent laryngeal nerve anywhere along its course.

Method:

This review article focuses on the uncommon and rare causes of vocal fold paralysis that have been detected or diagnosed on cross-sectional imaging.

Results and conclusion:

Uncommon causes included a tortuous oesophagus, tracheal diverticulum, cervical osteophytes and cardiovocal syndrome. These examples are presented with clinical case histories and radiological appearances, and are discussed in the context of the current literature.

Keywords

Vocal Cord ParalysisDiagnostic ImagingOsteophyteAneurysm, FalseMitral ValveComputed Tomography, X-Ray

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 127 , Issue 7 , July 2013 , pp. 691 - 698
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1Myssiorek, D. Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis: anatomy and etiology. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2004;37:25–44CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Borges, A. Imaging of denervation in the head and neck. Eur J Radiol 2010;74:378–90CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Becker, M. Larynx and hypopharynx. In: Mafee, FM, Valvassori, GE, Becker, M, eds. Imaging of the Head and Neck, 2nd edn.New York: Thieme, 2005;731–77Google Scholar
4Van der Goten, A. Evaluation of the patient with hoarseness. Eur Radiol 2004;14:1406–15CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Mangalgiri, A, Razvi, R, Longia, GS. Clinical anatomy of the vocal cord. People's Journal of Scientific Research 2008;1:35–8Google Scholar
6Chen, HC, Jen, YM, Wang, CH, Lee, JC, Lin, YS. Etiology of vocal cord paralysis. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec 2007;69:167–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Lin, YS, Jen, YM, Lin, JC. Radiation-related cranial nerve palsy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer 2002;95:404–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Richardson, BE, Bastian, RW. Clinical evaluation of vocal fold paralysis. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2004;37:45–58CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Song, SW, Jun, BC, Cho, KJ, Lee, S, Kim, YJ, Park, SH. CT evaluation of vocal cord paralysis due to thoracic diseases: a 10-year retrospective study. Yonsei Med J 2011;52:831–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Larson, TC, Aulino, JM, Laine, FJ. Imaging of the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves. Semin Ultrasound CT MR 2002;23:238–55CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Ong, CK, Chong, VF. The glossopharyngeal, vagus and spinal accessory nerves. Eur J Radiol 2010;74:359–67CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Aquino, SL, Duncan, GR, Hayman, LA. Nerves of the thorax: atlas of normal and pathologic findings. Radiographics 2001;21:1275–81CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Glazer, HS, Aronberg, DJ, Lee, JK, Sagel, SS. Extralaryngeal causes of vocal cord paralysis: CT evaluation. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1983;141:527–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Garcia, MM, Magalhães, FP, Dadalto, GB, de Moura, MVT. Imaging evaluation of vocal cord paralysis. Radiologia Brasileira 2009;42:321–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Bickle, IC, Kelly, BE, Brooker, DS. Ortner's syndrome: a radiological diagnosis. Ulster Med J 2002;71:55–6Google ScholarPubMed
16Annema, JT, Brahim, JJ, Rabe, KF. A rare cause of Ortner's syndrome (cardiovocal hoarseness). Thorax 2004;59:636CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Ortner, N. Recurrent nerve palsy in patient with mitral stenosis. Wien Klin Wochenschr 1897;10:753–5Google Scholar
18Subramaniam, V, Adarsha Herle, TV, Mohammed, N, Thahir, M. Ortner's syndrome: case series and literature review. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2011;77:559–62CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19Morgan, AA, Mourant, AJ. Left vocal cord paralysis and dysphagia in mitral valve disease. Br Heart J 1980;43:470–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20Gulel, O, Koprulu, D, Kucuksu, Z, Yazici, M, Cengel, S. Cardiovocal syndrome associated with huge left atrium. Circulation 2007;115:e318–19CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21Gupta, KB, Vishvkarma, S, Shandilya, R. Dissecting aortic aneurysm presenting with cardiovocal hoarseness. JAPI 2009;57:474–5Google Scholar
22Yoskovitch, A, Kantor, S. Cervical osteophytes presenting as unilateral vocal fold paralysis and dysphagia. J Laryngol Otol 2001;115:422–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23Aydin, K, Ulug, T, Simsek, T. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis caused by cervical spinal osteophytes. Br J Radiol 2002;75:990–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Caversaccio, MD, Becker, M, Zbären, P. Tracheal diverticulum presenting with recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1998;107:362–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25Wickramasinghe, LS, Chowdhury, CR, Pillai, SS, Ghosh, S. Distended oesophagus as a cause of bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Postgrad Med J 1988;4:958–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26Chegar, BE, Emko, P. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis secondary to esophageal compression. Am J Otolaryngol 2004;25:361–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27Takagi, H, Mori, Y, Umeda, Y, Fukumoto, Y, Yoshida, K, Shimokawa, K et al. Proximal left subclavian artery aneurysm presenting hemoptysis, hoarseness, and diplopia: repair through partial cardiopulmonary bypass and perfusion of the left common carotid artery. Ann Vasc Surg 2003;17:461–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28Bin, HG, Kim, MS, Kim, SC, Keun, JB, Lee, JH, Kim, SS. Intrathoracic aneurysm of the right subclavian artery presenting with hoarseness: a case report. J Korean Med Sci 2005;20:674–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29Woo, EK, Simo, R, Conn, B, Connor, SEJ. Vocal cord paralysis secondary to a benign parathyroid cyst: a case report with clinical, imaging and pathological findings. Eur Radiol 2008;18:2015–18CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30Conaghan, P, Chung, D, Vaughan, R. Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy associated with mediastinal amyloidosis. Thorax 2000;55:436–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31Kalan, A, Tariq, M, Harar, RP, Gatland, KA. Spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy: a rare simultaneous presentation of an occult malignant neoplasm. J Laryngol Otol 1996;110:1166–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32Virk, JS, Majithia, A, Lingam, RK, Singh, A. Cervical osteophytes causing vocal cord paralysis: case report and literature review. J Laryngol Otol 2012;126:963–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33Kokkonouzis, I, Haramis, D, Kornezos, I, Moschouris, H, Katsenos, S, Bouchara, S. Tracheal diverticulum in an asymptomatic male: a case report. Cases J 2008;1:181CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34Bodet Agustí, E, Martínez Vecina, V, Romeu Figuerola, C, Monzón Gaspà, M. Tracheal diverticulum: a case report [in Spanish]. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2007;58:278–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed