Eight Surgical/Iatrogenic causes of vocal cord paralysis

Vocal cord paralysis can occur due to a number of surgical or iatrogenic causes such as:

Thyroid surgery: In this operation, the recurrent laryngeal nerves that control the voice box can be damaged leading to paralysis.

Cervical spine surgery: The nerves that control the vocal cords pass close to the cervical spine and can be unintentionally damaged during such surgical procedures.

Mediastinal surgery: These surgeries might involve the chest area, and affect the nerves controlling the vocal cords.

Carotid artery surgery: The nerves controlling the vocal cords lie close to the carotid artery and can be damaged during the procedure.

Cardiothoracic surgery: Surgeries involving the heart or lungs might affect the recurrent laryngeal nerves.

Anterior cervical disc surgery: The anterior approach to this surgery can cause damage to nerves controlling the vocal cords.

Tracheal surgery: The windpipe is close to the larynx, which when operated on, can inadvertently result in vocal cord paralysis.

Esophageal surgery: Because of the proximity to the vocal cords, it can be a cause of their paralysis.

Explanation:

Vocal cord paralysis can be caused by numerous surgical or iatrogenic conditions. The eight such causes are mentioned above.