Bilateral cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis with a perplexing etiology

ABSTRACT

@#Immobility, fixation, or paralysis of the vocal folds is an ominous sign when encountered in the clinics. This may be due to a variety of diseases, lesions, injuries, or vascular compromise which may affect the integrity and physiologic mechanism of the vocal folds. The common etiologies include infectious processes such as laryngeal or pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), malignancy or neoplasms, central problems such as cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), stroke and others.1,2,3 The problem should be addressed immediately because this potentially life threatening and imminent narrowing of the glottic opening may lead to respiratory distress. Vocal fold paralysis due to compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve from PTB and laryngeal cancer are perennially seen in clinical practice, but immobility of the vocal folds due to cricoarytenoid joint fixation or ankylosis is seldom seen and appreciated. Hence, we present a case of bilateral cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis and discuss its etiology, pathophysiology, differential diagnoses, ancillary procedures, and management.