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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
09:58
Investigating the Three-dimensional Flow Separation Induced by a Model Vocal Fold Polyp
Published on: February 3, 2014
Changing etiology of vocal fold immobility
M S Benninger1, J B Gillen, J S Altman
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48202-2689, USA.
The Laryngoscope
|September 17, 1998
Summary
Vocal fold immobility causes are shifting. Extralaryngeal malignancies and surgical trauma are now more frequent reasons for vocal fold immobility, impacting patient management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Head and Neck Surgery
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Vocal fold immobility (VFI) is a critical indicator of underlying pathology.
- Determining the cause of VFI can be challenging, necessitating efficient diagnostic approaches.
- Previous etiological patterns of VFI may be evolving.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that the causes of vocal fold immobility are changing.
- To assess the increasing prevalence of extralaryngeal malignancies and non-thyroidectomy surgical trauma as causes of VFI.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with vocal fold immobility.
- Inclusion criteria required adequate diagnostic workup to ascertain the etiology of VFI.
- Data collection focused on unilateral and bilateral immobility cases.
Main Results:
- A total of 397 cases with identified etiologies were analyzed.
- For unilateral VFI, nonlaryngeal malignancy (24.7%) and surgical trauma (23.9%) were the leading causes.
- Surgical trauma (25.7%) was the primary cause of bilateral VFI, with intubation injuries also noted.
Conclusions:
- The data suggest a significant shift in the etiological landscape of vocal fold immobility.
- Extralaryngeal cancers and iatrogenic injuries from surgery are increasingly implicated in VFI.
- These findings necessitate adjustments in diagnostic and management strategies for VFI.
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