Abstract
Acute-onset bilateral vocal fold paralysis is most commonly a result of iatrogenic injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerves. With the primary goal of improving ventilation and stabilizing the patient’s airway, there are limited management options in the acute setting. Tracheostomy is the most commonly utilized intervention as it provides a secure airway while maintaining the integrity of the larynx. In stable patients, however, observation or treatments such as nimodipine may be viable options. In select patients, endoscopic suture lateralization also represents a reasonable temporizing measure. Avoidance of procedures that damage the larynx (i.e., endoscopic laser cordotomies) is critical until sufficient recovery time has been allowed. Recovery of vocal fold motion in cases where the recurrent laryngeal nerves are intact is highly variable.
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Dominguez, L.M., Simpson, C.B. (2019). Acute Management of Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis. In: Amin, M., Johns, M. (eds) Decision Making in Vocal Fold Paralysis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23475-1_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23475-1_15
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