Case Report: Bilateral Palsy of the Vocal Cords After COVID-19 Infection

Frederic Jungbauer; Roland Hülse; Fei Lu; Sonja Ludwig; Valentin Held; Nicole Rotter; Angela Schell

doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.619545

Case Report: Bilateral Palsy of the Vocal Cords After COVID-19 Infection

Front Neurol. 2021 May 19:12:619545. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.619545. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Frederic Jungbauer¹, Roland Hülse¹, Fei Lu¹, Sonja Ludwig¹, Valentin Held², Nicole Rotter¹, Angela Schell¹

Affiliations

¹ Department for Otorhinolaryngology, Head- and Neck-Surgery, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
² Department for Neurology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, adverse neurological effects have been described. In addition to unspecific neurological symptoms, cranial nerve deficits have appeared as part of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this case report, we describe a 74-year-old patient who developed bilateral paralysis of the vocal cords some weeks following his dismissal in stable condition after COVID-19 pneumonia. After ruling out central lesions, peripheral tumors, and other possible causes, therapy was initiated with methylprednisolone, inhalations, and oxygen. The patient showed no improvement, so laterofixation after Lichtenberger was performed. The dyspnea worsened after several weeks, so a laser posterior cordectomy was performed with satisfactory outcome.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; cranial nerve; palsy; recurrens; vocal cords.

Publication types

Case Reports