Ortner’s Syndrome in an Infant With Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Cardio-vocal or Ortner's syndrome is dysphonia or hoarseness resulting from left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy caused by a mechanical effect on the nerve due to enlarged cardiovascular or mediastinal structures. It was first described in adults with left atrial enlargement due to mitral stenosis. To date, there are a paucity of reports regarding its occurrence in infants and children. We report hoarseness and left vocal cord paresis in an infant with a large left-to-right shunt associated with a patent ductus arteriosus. The history of Ortner's syndrome is presented, its pathogenesis described, and previous reports of its occurrence in infants and children reviewed.

Giving Voice to Cardiovocal Syndrome: A 26-Year-Old Woman With Hypophonia and Dysphagia

“…However, individuals with congenital vascular anomalies such as anomalous pulmonary arteries or Eisenmenger syndrome, as well as genetic conditions such as heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension [18], are also susceptible to developing LRLN impingement and dysphonia and/or dysphagia. Med-Peds providers should be aware that both patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and PDA repair can be associated with LRLN palsy [19].…”