In the beginning of the year 1970 we had an epidemic occurrence of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in almost all regions of Japan.
Sixty patients, who have visited the ENT Clinic of our University with paralysis of the larynx, were as follows: male; 33, female; 27, unilateral left side paralysis; 26, unilateral right side paralysis; 13, bilateral paralysis; 21, associated paralysis; 8.
The age of the youngest patient was 20.
Historical examinations revealed that vocal cord paralysis had occurred to the majority of the patients immediately or a little while after an influenzal illness. Complementfixation rection to influenza A was examined with 44 cases, and the reaction was positive on 29 cases, negative on 6 cases, doubtful on 3 cases and the result of the reaction on 6 cases could not be confirmed. Besides complement-fixation tests were tried to 8 kinds of vires; influenza B, PPLO, psittacosis, herpes simplex, varicella, coxackie B-1, mumps and adenovirus. To herpes simplex virus, some cases which showed a little higher titer were recognized.
Laryngeal examinations showed various kinds of paralytical findings of the larynx. The frequent occurrence of bilateral vocal cord paralysis was also a characteristic point of this epidemie.
The patients were treated medicinally. Noticeable effect was obtained very often with the administration of adrenocortical hormone. On some cases of long protracted paralysis stellate block was performed with favorable effect. Our sixty cases were observed for more than one year and showed following results: complete cure on thirty-six patients, favorable on twelve patients, poor on five patients and on six cases the result of the treatment could not be ascertained.
抄録全体を表示