Central pontine myelinolysis as a cause of bilateral vocal fold immobility due to hyponatremia
✍ Scribed by Carmen Górriz Gil; Mercedes Tuñón Gómez; Carlos Escamilla; Yolanda Romero Pizarro; Gabriela Goizueta; Fernando García-López; Jose Ramón García-Berrocal
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 527 KB
- Volume
- 121
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0023-852X
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
We report a patient admitted with severe dyspnea due to bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI), associated with hyponatremia and pneumonia that required emergency tracheotomy. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed a pons lesion compatible with central pontine myelinolysis. Hyponatremia is thought to be caused by hypovolemia. The hyponatremia, and not its correction, is speculated to be the cause of central pontine myelinolysis in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of a bilateral vocal fold immobility caused by central pontine myelinolysis induced by hyponatremia. Laryngoscope, 2010.