ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the vocal cord movement after stroke with laryngeal ultrasound. Methods:From January, 2017 to March, 2019, 41 patients with stroke following hoarseness were examined with laryngeal ultrasound and direct laryngoscope. The movement was graded from I to III, in which grades II and III were considered as vocal cord paresis or palsy. The results under ultrasound were compared to laryngoscope (gold standard). Results:For 82 sides vocal cords in 41 patients, 78 sides were consistent grading between laryngeal ultrasound and laryngoscopy, and the coincidence rate was 95.1%. The difference was mainly found in patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis, two cases in total. Under ultrasound, one case was graded III (right) and I (left), and the other was graded II (right) and III (left); while under laryngoscopy, they were graded as III (right) and II (left), and III (right) and II (left), respectively. The specificity of ultrasound was 97.1%, and sensitivity was 85.7%, respectively.Kappa = 0.911, P < 0.001. Conclusion:Laryngeal ultrasound can be used for the diagnosis and evaluation of vocal cord movement after stroke.