2014 Volume 24 Issue 1 Pages 69-73
Bilateral laryngeal paralysis (BLP) leads to respiratory problems such as dyspnea which can cause a critical condition, so it is important to consider whether tracheostomy should be performed as an emergency procedure. This study examined 39 cases (9.6%) with BLP in 405 cases with laryngeal paralysis, including 10 (25.6%) caused by surgeries (7 with cardiovascular disease and 3 with thyroid disease), and 8 (20.5%) idiopathic cases. Cardiovascular surgeons should consider an unexpectedly high complication rate of BLP after surgery. As for treatment, we performed a tracheostomy in 18 cases; the decision as to whether tracheostomy is necessary is often made by an otolaryngologist. We base the decision on dyspneic degree, vocal folds, and causative disease.
