Head injury patient with bilateral vocal cord paralysis: a mistake and a lesson learnt

BMJ Case Rep. 2015 Nov 18:2015:bcr2015212292. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2015-212292.

Abstract

Bilateral recurrent nerve palsy along with head injury is a rare clinical possibility and can be potentially fatal if not properly diagnosed. We report a case of a head injury patient with intact Glasgow Coma Scale requiring immediate re-intubation and tracheostomy after extubation failure as a result of stridor and severe dyspnoea with paradoxical respiratory pattern, possibly because of undiagnosed significant surgical history.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Craniocerebral Trauma / complications*
  • Craniocerebral Trauma / therapy
  • Female
  • Glasgow Coma Scale
  • Humans
  • Intubation, Intratracheal
  • Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries / complications*
  • Thyroidectomy / adverse effects
  • Tracheostomy
  • Ventilator Weaning
  • Vocal Cord Paralysis / diagnosis*
  • Vocal Cord Paralysis / etiology*