European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Common causes of vocal could paralysis are neoplasms (bronchial, esophageal, thyroid), trauma, idiopathic, neurological, inflammatory & miscellaneous. With limited resource at our disposal, present study was aimed to find out etiopathology & classification of vocal cord palsy at our tertiary hospital.
Material and Methods: Present study was single-center, prospective, observational study, conducted in confirmed cases of vocal cord paralysis.
Results: This study was done on 44 patients of vocal cord paralysis. Majority were from 41-50 years age group (29.55%) followed by 51-60 years age group (20.45%). Sex incidence in this series revealed 27 male cases and 17 female cases. In present study common causes of vocal cord paralysis were Neoplastic growth (32%) followed by surgical trauma (30%), Blunt Trauma over front of neck (4%), pulmonary tuberculosis (11%), Idiopathic (16%), Cardiac hypertrophy (4%), cranial polyneuritis (4%) & Corrosive ingestion (4%). Left cord palsy, right cord paresis and bilateral paresis was noted in 55%, 27% & 18% cases respectively. 8 patients in this study were suffering from bilateral vocal cord paralysis and rest of the patients (36) had unilateral paralysis. So total number of paralyzed cords was 52. Out of these, 47 vocal cords were paralyzed completely and incomplete paralysis was seen in case of 5 cords. n most of the cases (27) it was in paramedian in position. Paralyzed cord was in midline in 12 cases, cadaveric in 8 cases. Incomplete palsy with restricted mobility was seen in 5 cases.
Conclusion: Neoplastic growth, trauma (surgical and non-surgical) & pulmonary TB were most common causes for vocal cord paralysis. Vocal cord paralysis was common in male patients, on left side & unilateral involvement.