Benign thyroid adenoma causing recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in a child

Abstract

The standard teaching is that only malignant thyroid masses produce recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. An unusual exception to this rule is reported.

Acute bilateral vocal fold paresis as a symptom of benign thyroid disease

“…Recurrent nerve paralysis in benign thyroid disease is very uncommon. A few authors have reported unilateral vocal fold paresis in cases of goitre or thyroiditis (Holl-Allen, 1967;Rueger, 1974;Lucarotti and Holl-Allen, 1988;Slomka et al, 1989;Habashi, 1991;Malotte etal., 1991). We have found only three cases of bilteral recurrent nerve paralysis in benign thyroid disease in the literature.…”

Invasion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve by adenoid cystic carcinoma. An unusual cause of true vocal fold paralysis

“…Rarely, a benign goitre can cause TVFP which may be uni-or bi-lateral. Examples of such benign pathologies include hyperplasia (Godwin et al, 1991), adenoma (Habashi, 1991), simple cyst (Quayle and Talbot, 1987), tuberculous abscess (Emery, 1980), Reidel's thyroiditis and Graves' disease (Falk and McCaffrey, 1995). Of these cases, 89 per cent will recover normal vocal fold mobility with thyroidectomy (Rowe- Jones et al, 1993).…”