RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOCAL CORD PARALYSIS AND BENIGN THYROID-DISEASE

Background. Vocal cord paralysis is generally associated with advanced thyroid malignancy. It may also be present in the setting of benign t hyroid disease. This association may be incidental as well as causal. Methods. Retrospective review of cases with concurrent diagnosis of vo cal cord paralysis and benign thyroid disease. Results. Eight cases fo und, all with documented vocal cord paralysis, by laryngoscopy. Four p atients had nodular thyroid disease, but in two it was contralateral t o the recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. The remaining patients had goiters of various sizes. Six patients were euthyroid, two on thyroid hormone replacement. Two patients were thyrotoxic: one had Graves' dis ease and the other had subacute thyroiditis. Conclusions. Vocal cord p aralysis can be the result of benign thyroid disease by such mechanism s as compression, stretching, or inflammation. Malignant thyroid disea se should always be ruled out in structural thyroid abnormalities. Voc al cord paralysis can also be an incidental finding unrelated to thyro id abnormality. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.