title: Central pontine myelinolysis as a cause of bilateral vocal fold immobility due to hyponatremia.
abstract: We report a patient admitted with severe dyspnea due to bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI), associated with hyponatremia and pneumonia that required emergency tracheotomy. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed a pons lesion compatible with central pontine myelinolysis. Hyponatremia is thought to be caused by hypovolemia. The hyponatremia, and not its correction, is speculated to be the cause of central pontine myelinolysis in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of a bilateral vocal fold immobility caused by central pontine myelinolysis induced by hyponatremia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain. carmengorriz@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Górriz Gil
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuñón Gómez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escamilla
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Romero Pizarro
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goizueta
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García-López
authors.forename: Jose Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: García-Berrocal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000150:complications*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017590:Myelinolysis, Central Pontine / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D014827:Vocal Cords