European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

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.

Background: Vocal cord paralysis (VCP), defined as the loss of normal adduction/abduction
caused by a lesion distant from the cords, result from neural injury to the recurrent laryngeal
nerve. Present study was aimed to study various etiologies of vocal cord paralysis at a tertiary
hospital.
Material and Methods: Present study was hospital based, retrospective observational study,
conducted patients with vocal cord palsy confirmed with endoscopy.
Results: In present study, 52 cases were of vocal cord paralysis were evaluated in detail.
Majority were from 41-60 years age group (53.85%) followed by 41-60 years age group
(28.85%).Male patients (57.69%) were more than female (42.31%). Common symptoms
noted in present study were dyspnoea (75%), hoarseness of voice (55.77%), dysphagia +
dyspnoea (30.77%) & dysphagia (25%). Majority of cases had unilateral vocal cord palsy
(92.31%) as compared to Bilateral (7.69%) vocal cord palsy. Among cases left (61.54%) side
involvement was common than right (30.77%). In present study, various neoplasms (thyroid,
bronchogenic, esophageal) & post surgical (thyroidectomy, esophagectomy) were most
common etiology in 26.92% patients each. Other etiologies were idiopathic causes (17.31%),
neck nodes/cervical metastases (11.54%), mediastinal masses/lymph nodes (5.77%), CNS
causes (5.77%), cardiovascular (3.85%) &blunt Trauma (1.92%).
Conclusion: Vocal cord paralysis was common in males, at 5th& 6th decade & it was
unilateral in majority of cases. Common causes of vocal cord paralysis are neoplasm, postsurgical
& idiopathic.