Ortner syndrome as a cause of sudden dysphonia, a little-known etiology

A 77-year-old woman was admitted with symptoms of heart failure and sudden dysphonia. Imaging tests revealed a pericardial effusion and the existence of severe cardiomegaly at the expense of an aneurysmal left atrium. Pericardiocentesis was performed, with improvement in the clinical picture of heart failure, although residual dysphonia persisted upon discharge.

Ortner syndrome or cardiovocal syndrome consists of paralysis of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve caused by a cardiovascular condition, usually and originally described by left atrial dilation in relation to rheumatic mitral valve disease. Early diagnosis can be useful to initiate immediate treatment and restore vocal cord function.

When assessing possible causes of dysphonia, it is important to take into account the cardiac etiology, since despite the fact that this syndrome has a low prevalence, it is important to take it into account since its treatment requires multidisciplinary management.