This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (27)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal

A Long-term Retrospective Study

Hamid Daya, FRCS; Asaad Hosni, FRCS; Ignacio Bejar-Solar, MD; John N. G. Evans, FRCS; C. Martin Bailey, FRCS

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2000;126:21-25.

Objective  To review our experience of pediatric vocal fold paralysis (VFP), with particular emphasis on etiological factors, associated airway pathologic conditions, and treatment and prognostic outcomes.

Design  Retrospective case review of a cohort of patients presenting with VFP.

Setting  Tertiary referral center.

Patients  A consecutive sample of 102 patients presenting with VFP to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, England, over a 14-year period from 1980 to 1994.

Results  There was an almost equal distribution of unilateral (52% [n = 53]) and bilateral (48% [n = 49]) VFP. Iatrogenic causes (43% [n = 44]) formed the largest group, followed by idiopathic VFP (35% [n = 36]), neurological causes (16% [n = 16]), and finally birth trauma (5% [n = 5]). Associated upper airway pathologic conditions were noted in 66% (n = 23) of patients who underwent tracheotomy. Tracheotomy was necessary in only 57% (n = 28) of children with bilateral VFP. Prognosis was variable depending upon the cause, with neurological VFP having the highest rate of recovery (71% [5/7]) and iatrogenic VFP the lowest rate (46% [12/26]).

Conclusion  Recovery after an interval of up to 11 years was seen in idiopathic bilateral VFP; this has significant implications when considering lateralization procedures in these patients.

From the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, England (Drs Daya, Hosni, Bejar-Solar, Evans, and Bailey). Dr Bejar-Solar is now with the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City. Dr Daya is now with the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario. Dr Hosni is now a consulting otolaryngologist at Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, England.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis Following Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants
Clement et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;134:28-33.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Vocal Fold Medialization in Children: Injection Laryngoplasty, Thyroplasty, or Nerve Reinnervation?
Sipp et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2007;133:767-771.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Idiopathic Vocal Cord Palsies and Associated Neurological Conditions
Urquhart and St. Louis
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;131:1086-1089.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Mediastinal haemangiomas in children
Tan et al.
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg. 2003;23:1065-1067.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Holoprosencephaly (Lobar Form) Associated With Bilateral Vocal Cord Palsy
Smilari et al.
J Child Neurol 2001;16:932-934.
ABSTRACT  

Localization of the Gene for Familial Laryngeal Abductor Paralysis to Chromosome 6q16
Manaligod et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001;127:913-917.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT