Bilateral vocal fold paresis and glottal bridge synechia in COVID-19

Antonia Tardue-Breiter; Anna Glück; Helga Dier; Georg Mathias Sprinzl

doi:10.1002/ccr3.7447

Bilateral vocal fold paresis and glottal bridge synechia in COVID-19

Clin Case Rep. 2023 Jun 28;11(7):e7447. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.7447. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Authors

Antonia Tardue-Breiter^{1

2}, Anna Glück^{2

3}, Helga Dier^{2

4}, Georg Mathias Sprinzl^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology University Hospital St. Pölten St. Pölten Austria.
² Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences Krems Austria.
³ Department of Neurology University Hospital St. Pölten St. Pölten Austria.
⁴ Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care University Hospital St. Pölten St. Pölten Austria.

Abstract

Key clinical message: Bilateral vocal fold paresis (BVFP) is a rare complication in COVID-19 and should be considered as differential diagnosis in COVID-19-patients presenting with dyspnea and stridor. High-dose intravenous corticosteroids can be useful treating COVID-19-related laryngeal edema and vocal fold paresis. This case shows the complexity of laryngeal complications in COVID-19 requiring surgeries and functional therapies.

Abstract: Although COVID-19 is known to affect peripheral as well as cranial nerves, there is a paucity of reports on vocal fold paresis in COVID-19, bilateral vocal fold paresis (BVFP) in particular. We describe a case of BVFP and glottal bridge synechia following COVID-19-pneumonia discussing pathomechanisms and treatment options.

Keywords: COVID‐19; bilateral vocal fold paresis; bridge synechia; laryngeal edema.

Publication types

Case Reports