title: Transient vocal cord paralysis after fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid tumor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Complications of thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) are exceedingly rare. Hematoma formation is the most commonly encountered complication. Infection and seeding of carcinoma cells in the needle track has also been reported in a rare case. Here we describe patients diagnosed as having transient vocal cord paralysis after FNAB of benign thyroid tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of patients with concurrent diagnosis of vocal cord paralysis after FNAB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 10,974 patients who underwent FNAB, 4 patients showed vocal cord paralysis on laryngoscopy. These patients had solid and/or cystic lesion in the thyroid. Routine FNAB of the nodule was performed using a 23-gauge needle. Cytologic findings were benign tumor. Change of voice in the patients occurred 1 or 2 days after FNAB and vocal cord paralysis ipsilateral to FNAB was determined by flexible laryngoscopy. Vocal cord paralysis of all patients resolved spontaneously within 6 months (average, 4 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the incidence of vocal cord paralysis in patients with thyroid tumor after FNAB is reported to be 0.036%, the true incidence is unknown because asymptomatic subjects are not screened. This report should alert the examiner to the possibility of vocal cord palsy after FNAB.
authors.affiliation: Kuma Hospital, Kobe, Japan. tomoda@kuma-h.or.jp
authors.forename: Chisato
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomoda
authors.forename: Yuuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takamura
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miya
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000187:drug effects*