Unilateral vocal fold immobility: a tertiary hospital's experience over 5 years.
The objective of the study was to determine the etiology and subsequent management of patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility (UVFI) and compare our results with other such studies. This was a retrospective case series of all patients that were treated for UVFI at one single tertiary referral centre between 2010 and 2014. The medical records of 161 patients over a 5-year period diagnosed with UVFI were analyzed. We looked at the patient demographics, side of immobility, etiology, management and voice assessment. A total of 21 patients were excluded due to varying reasons including second presentation and incomplete data. Our results demonstrated 37.1% of cases to be due to non-thyroid surgery (mainly vascular or anterior cervical spine surgery) compared to thyroid or parathyroid (18.6%). Carotid endarterectomy was the commonest cause followed by cervical spine discectomy or fusion. Other iatrogenic causes included thoracic surgery either involving the lung or not. Our results are very much in keeping with those seen by our colleagues in North America. A better appreciation of the causes of UVFI especially in cases not performed by otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons should be highlighted and the necessary steps should be taken to prevent this iatrogenic complication.
University Hospital of Louvain at Mont-Godinne, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium. vyasprasad@gmail.com.|Department of Otolaryngology, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, 1 Jurong East Street 21, Singapore, 609606, Singapore. vyasprasad@gmail.com.
Vyas M N
VMN
Prasad
University Hospital of Louvain at Mont-Godinne, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium.|St. George's Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
Raja
R
Fakhoury
University Hospital of Louvain at Mont-Godinne, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium.|Hotel Dieu de France, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Diane
D
Helou
University Hospital of Louvain at Mont-Godinne, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium.
Georges
G
Lawson
University Hospital of Louvain at Mont-Godinne, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium.|Centre Hospitalier Regional, Eich, Luxembourg.
Marc
M
Remacle
D001530:Belgium; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013062:Speech Articulation Tests / Q000379:methods; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000503:physiopathology; D014833:Voice Quality
Glottis; Immobility; Larynx; Paralysis; Vocal fold