For the first time, vocal cord paralysis occurred in a young girl following a coronavirus infection.
- A 15-year-old American girl had her vocal cords paralyzed following a Covid-19 infection.
- To treat her, doctors had to give her a tracheotomy, which she remained dependent on for more than 13 months.
- “This type of nerve complication may not be temporary,” according to the authors.
In the United States, a 15-year-old girl had her vocal cords paralyzed after contracting a Covid-19 infection. His case was described by researchers in the review scientist Pediatrics.
Covid-19: his vocal cords close when they should normally open
The patient was first hospitalized at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, for respiratory distress. But what surprises doctors is that his oxygen levels are normal. She then passes a laryngoscopya procedure that allows you to see the back of the throat, the larynx and the vocal cords.
Results: Doctors observe a strange movement in the patient’s vocal cords. These close when they should normally open, and vice versa. Quickly, his condition worsened. She had difficulty walking, swallowing and numbness. Finally, the verdict falls, the patient has paralysis of the vocal cords.
Paralysis of the vocal cords: she “remained dependent on the tracheotomy for more than 13 months”
To treat her, the doctors decided to give her a tracheotomy“a surgically created opening in the trachea had the effect of relieving the patient’s breathing difficulties, explains Christopher Hartnick, lead author, in a press release. She remained tracheostomy dependent for more than 13 months after initial treatment, suggesting that this type of nerve complication may not be temporary.”
Vocal cord paralysis could therefore be a new neuropathic sequela of Covid-19. “This new complication should be considered in any child with breathing, speaking or swallowing problems after a recent diagnosis of Covid-19, explains Dr. Danielle Reny Larrow, co-author of the study. This is especially important since such complaints can be easily attributed to more common diagnoses like asthma.”
