UNILATERAL VOCAL FOLD PARALYSIS

Course overview

VOCAL FOLD IMMOBILITY IS A BROAD TERM THAT CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE THE ABNORMAL MOVEMENT OF THE TRUE VOCAL FOLDS. IT CAN BE UNILATERAL, WHERE ONLY ONE TRUE VOCAL FOLD IS AFFECTED, OR BILATERAL, IN WHICH BOTH TRUE VOCAL FOLDS ARE AFFECTED. THE ABNORMAL MOVEMENT CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS BEING PARETIC, MEANING SOME MOVEMENT IS PRESENT ALBEIT REDUCED OR PARALYZED, MEANING COMPLETE CESSATION OF VOCAL FOLD MOVEMENT. THIS ACTIVITY FOCUSES SPECIFICALLY ON UNILATERAL VOCAL FOLD PARALYSIS AND REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF AFFECTED PATIENTS, HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF THESE PATIENTS.