Ortner's syndrome

BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Mar 11:2014:bcr2013200950. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-200950.

Abstract

A 42-year-old man with a significant smoking history presented with chronic expectorative cough and exertional shortness of breath with recent-onset hoarseness. Chest examination was essentially normal and cardiovascular examination was suggestive of aortic regurgitation. Ears, nose and throat evaluation showed left vocal cord palsy and CT scan revealed an aortic arch aneurysm. Ortner's syndrome refers to hoarseness due to recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy secondary to a cardiovascular abnormality. Aortic aneurysms usually present with chest pain, back pain or epigastric pain, depending on the site of the aneurysm. An aortic arch aneurysm presenting as hoarseness is extremely rare.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / complications
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Hoarseness / diagnostic imaging*
  • Hoarseness / etiology
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Male
  • Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve*
  • Syndrome
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vocal Cord Paralysis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Vocal Cord Paralysis / etiology