[Hypoglossus and laryngeal nerves palsy after an intubation for Legionella infection]. / Tunge- og stemmebåndsparese efter endotrakeal intubation for Legionella-pneumoni.

Extracranial involvement of the hypoglossal nerve and recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagal nerve can be a complication of anaesthetic airway management (Tapia's syndrome) or focal involvement due to Legionella infection. We present a patient with bilateral hypoglossal and unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerves palsy after a complicated intubation and a Legionella infection. Clarithromycin therapy was started. Within months, tongue mobility and swallowing gradually improved. Two months after discharge persisting unilateral recurrent nerve palsy was observed.

[Isolated reversible unilateral paresis of hypoglossal nerve in tonsillitis--case report]. / Transitorische isolierte und unilaterale periphere Hypoglossusparese bei Tonsillitis--Falldarstellung.

We report on a 30-year-old patient with isolated, left-sided hypoglossal nerve palsy after uncomplicated, presumably streptococci-induced tonsillitis. Needle electromyography (EMG) of the tongue showed denervation changes in the muscles supplied by the left hypoglossal nerve. Cranial CT and MRI, CSF examination, Doppler sonography, visual evoked potential (VEP), and auditory evoked potential (AEP) showed no abnormalities and, in particular, no signs of the carotid artery dissection or brainstem lesion. The symptoms and signs resolved within a few weeks after penicillin V treatment. We suppose that the hypoglossal affection of the uncomplicated tonsillitis in this case was due to an aberrant position of the nerve.