Paralysis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Paralysis, including details on treatment, diagnosis, facial paralysis, sleep paralysis.

Bilateral vocal cord palsy during carotid endarterectomy under cervical plexus block.

Kwok AO, Silbert BS, Allen KJ, Bray PJ, Vidovich J

Department of Anaesthesiology and Operating Theatre Services, Kwong Wah Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

We describe a case of vocal cord palsy leading to respiratory obstruction during carotid endarterectomy under cervical plexus block in a patient who had preexisting contralateral vocal cord paralysis subsequent to a previous thyroidectomy. The patient required immediate tracheal intubation and subsequent tracheostomy to maintain the airway postoperatively. Care must be given to avoid contralateral vocal cord paralysis in the presence of a preexisting vocal cord palsy.

Published 23 January 2006 in Anesth Analg, 102(2): 376-7.
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