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Vincristine-induced recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in children

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Abstract

Stridor developed in 2 children during vincristine therapy for malignancies. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed left vocal cord paralyse in both patients. One child had generalized neurotoxicity from vincristine including hypotonia, decreased gastrointestinal motility, and painful parasthesias while laryngeal nerve paralysis was the only neurotoxic manifestation in the other patient. Stridor resolved in both patients after discontinuing or decreasing the dose of vincristine. Visualization of the airway not only confirms the diagnosis, but also rules out treatable causes of stridor in the febrile, immunocompromised patient.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia, Cardiopulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 North Lauderdale, P.O. Box 318, 38101-0318, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

    J. D. Tobias

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

    P. M. Bozeman

Authors
  1. J. D. Tobias
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  2. P. M. Bozeman
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Supported by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities

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Tobias, J.D., Bozeman, P.M. Vincristine-induced recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in children. Intensive Care Med 17, 304–305 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01713944

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01713944

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