CLINICAL-CAUSES OF RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVE PALSY

SUMMARY

Causes dysphonia:
1. Surgical iatrogenic injuries: ACDF, thyroid, thoracic or carotid surgery.
2. Malignant invasion of the vagus or recurrent laryngeal nerve: skull base tumors, thyroid CA, lung CA, esophageal CA, and metastases to the mediastinum (often observed with lung cancer primaries).
3. Primary mediastinal tumor: thymoma.
4. Thoracic aortic aneurysm.
5. Blunt trauma to the neck or chest.
6. Idiopathic: viral or inflammatory process.

Reference(s)

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Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].