Temporary vocal cord paralysis following hemodialysis catheter placement

Abstract

We report a case of temporary right vocal cord paralysis manifesting as hoarseness after hemodialysis, beginning several hours after placement of a non-cuffed hemodialysis catheter into the right internal jugular vein using prilocaine local anesthesia. Diagnosis of right vocal cord paralysis was confirmed by laryngoscopy. Hoarseness completely resolved that same day, and subsequent laryngoscopy showed normal vocal cord movement, suggesting that the most likely cause of the initial vocal cord paralysis was diffusion of the local anesthetic agent injected during catheter insertion.

Lost for Words – Bilateral Vocal Cord Paresis following Renal Dialysis of a Thyroidectomy Patient

“…A number of papers have reported temporary vocal cord paralysis following hemodialysis catheter placement; however, this was secondary to laryngeal nerve anaesthesia following such vascular catheter placement within the neck, and was generally unilateral [6], [7]. In these cases, the RLN paralysis was likely due to local anaesthetic infiltration around the nerve.…”