Affiliations 

  • 1 MD, Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, 9th floor Clinical Block, UKM Medical Centre Faculty of Medicine, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 MD, MS, Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, 9th floor Clinical Block, UKM Medical Centre Faculty of Medicine, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Email: mawaddah1504@yahoo.com
Malays Fam Physician, 2021 Nov 30;16(3):129-131.
PMID: 34938406 DOI: 10.51866/tyk1244

Abstract

A detailed examination in an older adult presenting with chronic hoarseness is mandatory to exclude an upper aerodigestive tract malignancy. We describe a 71-year-old chronic smoker with essential hypertension who presented with hoarseness and vocal fatigue for 5 months. Laryngoscopic examination showed left vocal fold paralysis with phonation gap. No growth was seen at all laryngeal and hypopharyngeal subsites. The rest of the head and neck, chest, upper limbs and neurovascular examination were unremarkable. A plain chest radiograph demonstrated a cause for the left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. The diagnosis, complications and definitive management of the underlying cause and resultant voice problem will be discussed.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.