There are a wide variety of possible causes of<unk>  fold (VF)<unk> , including congenital (i.e. present at birth) causes, infectious causes, tumors, traumatic causes, endocrinologic diseases (i.e. thyroid disease), and systemic neurologic diseases. Congenital Congenital conditions that are implicated in VFP include neurological disorders like hydrocephalus and Arnold-Chiari malformation, dysmorphic neurological disorders such as Moebius syndrome or Goldenhar Syndrome, anatomical abnormalities such as a tracheoesophageal fistula, vascular anomalies (e.g. vascular ring) affecting the<unk>  mechanism, syndromes affecting brainstem function or atrophic diseases such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth. In the absence of imaging, either invasive (e.g. laryngoscopy) or non-invasive (e.g. computed tomography scan), congenital VFP can be detected in infants through the presence of stridor (i.e. a high-pitched wheezing resulting from a blockage in the larynx or trachea), difficulties feeding, an abnormal sounding cry or excessive hoarseness. Recovery from congenital VFP varies and is reliant on the severity of the condition. Some cases of VFP recover spontaneously, often within the first year. If the<unk>  is persistent, surgical options such as<unk>  fold injections or tracheotomy can be taken into consideration. Infection Many viral infections have been reported as a cause for VF<unk> , including herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, Varicella-Zoster, cytomegalovirus, HIV, West Nile virus, and upper respiratory infection. Bacterial infections have also been reported to cause VF<unk> , such as syphilis and Lyme disease. Tumors When abnormal cells group together in the body, they are said to form a tumor. Tumors can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous). Tumors may lead to paralysis of the<unk>  folds when they affect the recurrent laryngeal nerves (RLNs) either directly or indirectly: * RLN paralysis can be caused by tumors of the thyroid, lung, esophagus, and mediastinum. * Radiation as a treatment for malignant head and neck tumors can reduce the number of blood vessels in the treatment area and lead to scarring. In some cases, this can paralyze the vagus nerve, of which the RLNs are branches. * Tumors of the vagus nerve, called vagal neurilemmomas, can also paralyze the<unk>  folds. Trauma VF<unk>  can result from trauma to one of more laryngeal nerves during intubation, surgery (e.g. thyroidectomy, spine surgery, carotid endartectomy, vagal nerve stimulator implantation), injection of botulinum neurotoxin, or penetrating neck trauma. Thyroid disease Causes of VF<unk>  also include diseases of the thyroid gland, such as hypothyroidism, goiter, and thyroiditis. Systemic neurologic diseases Several neurological diseases can cause VF<unk>  including: * Myasthenia Gravis (MG), a rare neuromuscular autoimmune disease. MG's dominant characteristic is muscles weakness including facial, jaw, pharyngeal and laryngeal muscles. * Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a neurological heredity disease that affects both motor and sensory functions. CMT affects the nerve cells and interrupts the transmission of nerve impulses as it concerns the axons and the myelination of the nerve cells. * Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which is an autoimmune disease that damages the myelin sheet surrounding the axons of the cranial nerves and the spinal nerves. There are several types of MS depending on the course of the disease. * Spinocerebellar Degeneration, a term that refers to a rare yet diverse chronic disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord. Spinocerebellar Degeneration is usually an inherited progressive disease; however, toxicity and vitamin deficiency can result in the acquired type of cerebellar degeneration disease. Additionally, there are pieces of evidence that some Systemic Rheumatological Diseases such as sarcoidosis, rheumatoid, scleroderma can result in having VF<unk> . Cardiovascular A rare cause of<unk>  that often presents itself as unexplained hoarseness is cardiovocal syndrome or Ortner's syndrome. Although it was originally identified in patients with left atrial enlargement, the definition has expanded to include aneurysms of the aortic arch, pulmonary hypertension due to mixed connective tissue disease, or aberrant subclavian artery syndrome among other causes of left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy with cardiovascular origin.
Vocal cord paresis
Vocal cord dysfunction
Facial nerve paralysis
Oropharyngeal dysphagia
Laryngotracheal stenosis
Laryngomalacia
Tracheal deviation
Glossoptosis