Paresis and paralysis of the larynx

Paresis and paralysis of the larynx result from inflammatory and degenerative processes in the muscles or the dysfunction of the innervation of the larynx of nerves, brain centers and pathways.

Myopathic paresis or paralysis is caused by changes in the muscles of the larynx and are observed in acute and chronic laryngitis, some common infectious diseases (diphtheria, typhoid, influenza, tuberculosis), with a bleeding in the muscles of the larynx as a result of a sharp overstrain of the voice. As a rule, they are bilateral with the lesion most often of the vocal muscles of the larynx. Neuropathic paresis or paralysis may be of peripheral or central origin. Central paresis or paralysis often occurs with bulbar tabetic lesions and hysteria. Peripheral paresis or paralysis depends on the disturbance of the function of the branches of the vagus nerve. The cause of the violation of the function of these nerves can be trauma, various inflammatory, tumor and other pathological processes in the neck and chest.

Symptoms, course. Hoarseness down to aphonia. Of great practical importance is the paralysis of the posterior cricoid muscle (a muscle that removes the vocal crease from the outside and thus opens the vocal cicle). With the acute onset of bilateral paralysis of these muscles, the vocal cleft does not open, stenosis of the larynx occurs, requiring urgent tracheostomy. When the function of other muscles of the larynx is disturbed, the complaints of the patients are reduced to a change in the character of the voice. The diagnosis is made with the help of a laryngoscopy. By the kind of gap that remains between the vocal folds during phonation, you can identify the function of which muscles are broken.

Treatment for myopathic paresis or paralysis of the larynx of inflammatory etiology is the same as for acute catarrhal laryngitis. In addition, physiotherapy is used: electrophoresis, diathermy. With neuropathic paresis or paralysis of the larynx, treatment of a disease that causes laryngeal innervation is indicated.