Congenital Bilateral Adductor Vocal Cord Paralysis

Abstract

Bilateral adductor vocal cord paralysis (BAdP), presenting with features of laryngeal incompetence, is a rare form of congenital bilateral vocal cord paralysis, and only 2 small series of BAdP have previously been published. Three cases are reported here. The BAdP occurred as an isolated abnormality in 1 child, and was associated with a recognizable syndrome (Robinow's syndrome and 22q deletion) in the other 2 children. Gastrostomy tube feeding was required in 2 children, who both remain gastrostomy tube–dependent at 26 months and 10 years 9 months of age. The child with Robinow's syndrome received parenteral nutrition until 2 months, but was then able to feed orally after partial improvement in vocal cord function. The global impairment in vocal cord constrictor function observed in these 3 children is consistent with the site of lesion's being at the level of the laryngeal constrictor motoneurons in BAdP.