OBJECTIVE To compare the incidence of postoperative vocal cord paresis or paralysis in a cohort of patients who underwent thyroidectomy with and without continuous recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) monitoring by a single senior surgeon. We hypothesize that continuous RLN monitoring reduces the rate of nerve injury during thyroidectomy DESIGN Retrospective medical chart review. SETTING Academi...

Lesion of the recurrent laryngeal nerves as a consequence of thyroid surgery results in bilateral vocal fold paralysis and respiratory obstruction. The initial treatment involves ensuring an adequate airway and it ranges from tracheostomy to endo-extralaryngeal laterofixating operations in general anesthesia. Subglottic high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) is an alternative ventilatory approac...

Vocal fold paralysis is a serious complication of thyroidectomy that is worrisome for health providers and potentially disastrous for the patient and family. A 56-year-old woman presented with bilateral vocal fold paralysis immediately after routine thyroidectomy and neck dissection for a large goiter with compressive symptoms. She was extubated the next day with full recovery of vocal fold mot...

Vocal cord dysfunction involves inappropriate vocal cord motion that produces partial airway obstruction. Patients may present with respiratory distress that is often mistakenly diagnosed as asthma. Exercise, psychological conditions, airborne irritants, rhinosinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or use of certain medications may trigger vocal cord dysfunction. The differential diagnosis ...

We report a patient with subacute thyroiditis complicated by vocal cord paralysis; the paralysis has persisted after recovery from thyroiditis.