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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
vocal cord paralysis
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vocal cord paralysis
by sashamore, Feb 19, 2005 12:00AM
thank you for your excellent suggestions re my post-lobectomy chronic cough. it now seems i have a paralyzed, bowed vocal cord. i will be seeing a speech therapist next week, and i am also taking medication in case the problem is GERDS (SP?)... but i am
concerned lest surgery may eventually be necessary. if so, is
it DISFIGURING? and in what way might my voice change, and how
is a TEST FOR CANCER of a vocal cord performed.?....(cancer is of course a concern because my recent lobectomy was for a cancerous lesion.) i do not smoke, by the way.
......intubation (your suggestion) is what my throat doctor suggests as a possible cause for this chronic cough, as well.
again, my thanks for your kind and thoughtful response a few days ago.
concerned lest surgery may eventually be necessary. if so, is
it DISFIGURING? and in what way might my voice change, and how
is a TEST FOR CANCER of a vocal cord performed.?....(cancer is of course a concern because my recent lobectomy was for a cancerous lesion.) i do not smoke, by the way.
......intubation (your suggestion) is what my throat doctor suggests as a possible cause for this chronic cough, as well.
again, my thanks for your kind and thoughtful response a few days ago.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Mar 02, 2005 12:00AM
, Mar 02, 2005 12:00AM
The paralyzed vocal cord could be due to:
· the intubation at the time of surgery;
· a complication of the surgery itself; or
· a result of the tumor.
It might be helpful to know if the paralysis existed prior to the surgery. If so this would have been noticed at the time of intubation.
The cause of paralysis and possibly the cough could be evaluated with either an MRI or a CT scan. Either one of these imaging studies and direct observation of the voice box and vocal cords would be the best way to evaluate the possibility of residual cancer.
Any surgery for a paralyzed vocal cord would be internal so it would not be disfiguring.
Good luck.
· the intubation at the time of surgery;
· a complication of the surgery itself; or
· a result of the tumor.
It might be helpful to know if the paralysis existed prior to the surgery. If so this would have been noticed at the time of intubation.
The cause of paralysis and possibly the cough could be evaluated with either an MRI or a CT scan. Either one of these imaging studies and direct observation of the voice box and vocal cords would be the best way to evaluate the possibility of residual cancer.
Any surgery for a paralyzed vocal cord would be internal so it would not be disfiguring.
Good luck.
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