Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Laryngeal nerve damage is injury to one or both of the nerves that are attached to the voice box.
Alternative Names
Vocal cord paralysis
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Injury to the laryngeal nerves is uncommon.
However, it may occur from:
- A complication of neck or chest surgery (especially thyroid, lung, or heart surgery)
- A breathing tube in the windpipe (endotracheal tube)
- A viral infection that affects the nerves
- Tumors in the neck or upper chest, such as
thyroid orlung cancer
Next Section
Laryngeal nerve damage Symptoms
Review Date: 11/27/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; and Seth Schwartz, MD, MPH, Otolaryngologist, Virginia
Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David
Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
