Table 2.
Etiology of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
| Surgery | 304 (48%) |
| Thyroid surgery | 98 (15%) |
| Cervical spine surgery | 61 (9.6%) |
| Lung surgery | 34 (5.4%) |
| Mediastinal surgery | 28 (4.4%) |
| Carotid surgery | 24 (3.9%) |
| Esophageal surgery | 14 (2.2%) |
| Skull base surgery | 11 (1.7%) |
| Lateral neck surgery | 9 (1.4%) |
| Cardiac surgery | 9 (1.4%) |
| Parathyroid surgery | 7 (1.1%) |
| Intrinsic neurosurgery | 5 (0.80%) |
| Oral surgery | 2 (0.32%) |
| Open neck lymph node biopsy | 1 (0.16%) |
| Vagal nerve stimulator placement | 1 (0.16%) |
| Idiopathic | 234 (37%) |
| Intubation | 31 (4.9%) |
| Only for surgical procedure | 19 (3.0%) |
| <1 week | 3 (0.47%) |
| 1 – 2 weeks | 2 (0.32%) |
| >2 weeks | 2 (0.32%) |
| Not specified | 5 (0.79%) |
| Trauma | 24 (3.8%) |
| Malignancy-Related | 23 (3.6%) |
| Lung cancer | 12 (1.9%) |
| Paraganglioma | 3 (0.47%) |
| Oropharyngeal cancer | 2 (0.32%) |
| Esophageal cancer | 2 (0.32%) |
| Thyroid cancer | 1 (0.16%) |
| Laryngeal cancer | 1 (0.16%) |
| Lymphoma | 1 (0.16%) |
| Metastatic cancer | 1 (0.16%) |
| Other | 16 (2.5%) |
| Cerebrovascular accident | 10 (1.6%) |
| Asthma attack | 1 (0.16%) |
| Allergy to contrast | 1 (0.16%) |
| Esophagogastroduodenoscopy | 1 (0.16%) |
| Nasogastric tube | 1 (0.16%) |
| Seizure | 1 (0.16%) |
| Vagal nerve stimulator | 1 (0.16%) |