Clinical Reasoning: A 56-Year-Old Woman With New-Onset Hoarseness and Dysphagia

We report an atypical clinical presentation of a rapidly progressive neurologic emergency that required prompt investigation and treatment of impending respiratory failure. We discuss the differential diagnosis, evaluation, emergency management, and treatment options of patients with atypical variants of this disorder.

A 56-year-old woman with a history of hypothyroidism, anxiety, and depression presented to the emergency department 3 weeks after an upper respiratory and ear infection with cough, pain with sinus palpation, tingling in her fingers bilaterally and right foot, hives, and an episode of blurry vision on awakening. She was discharged home with antibiotics. That evening, she developed rapidly progressing hoarseness and dysphagia and returned to the emergency department. An initial examination and laryngoscopy revealed complete left vocal cord paralysis, consistent with a left cranial nerve X palsy, which prompted a neurologic evaluation. Her examination progressively worsened over the next day requiring mechanical ventilation and ICU admission.

New-onset bulbar cranial neuropathies should raise concern for neurologic disorders that can be rapidly progressive and result in respiratory failure. Urgent diagnosis and treatment are warranted.