Active clinical trials for "Vocal Cord Dysfunction"

Total thyroidectomy for benign surgical pathologies is associated with risks related to temporary hypocalcaemia and vocal quality dysfunction. Dexamethasone, as an anti-inflammatory steroid, has been proposed to have a physiological effect on hypocalcaemia and voice quality. Investigators conducted a double-blinded controlled trial to assess the effect of preoperative dexamethasone on the vocal dysfunction and hypocalcaemia following thyroidectomy

The purpose is to assess visualize the level of laryngeal obstruction and vocal cord dysfunction and to obtain more information on causes for dyspnea in asthma and severe asthma and to assess safety of CLE in patients with asthma and with severe asthma. Patients are examined if symptomatic during exercise.

• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a highly effective and safe method for spinal cord and cervical root decompression. Vocal cord paralysis secondary to recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a common complication after ACDF. The incidence reported as high as 22%. The standard technique for vocal cord evaluation and the most commonly used tool is direct laryngoscopy. Laryngoscopy causes patients annoyance and could potentially contribute to poor patient compliance. Ultrasonography is a non-invasive technique that is used as an alternative tool.

This study will test the use of a new handheld device (called the N-Tidal C), that measures a person's tidal breath carbon dioxide, in diagnosing the cause of someone's breathlessness. It will also evaluate whether this device can detect when a person's breathing problem is getting worse.

Population-based single centre, blinded, prospective cohort study of the impact of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury on Thoracic Surgery patients. The principal outcome of interest is the effect of RLN injury on respiratory complications. Voice, swallowing, cardiac and mortality outcomes will also be determined.

The delicate structures of the larynx can be compromised by innumerable causes, one of these is represented by endotracheal intubation. More frequently, these damages are represented by hematomas, edema and granulomas of the vocal cords. The pathophysiology of laryngeal damage can be explained by an ischemic attack of the chordal mucosa. Numerous risk factors can cause the onset of damage, some depending on the practice itself, such as size and type of endotracheal tube, cuff pressure, use of mandrels and / or inserting devices, use of oral or nasogastric tubes, use of neuromuscular inhibitors or sleep-inducing drugs and the duration of the intervention; others from patient-related factors, such as gender, weight, history of exposure of smoking habit, or a history of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). The incidence of such symptoms varies from 0% to 18% among the general population, with an average of 6% with resolution of most of the symptoms within 72 hours unless substantial damage has occurred to the vocal cords or to the arytenoids. In general, the incidence of such laryngeal complications has been described by several studies, but there is no standardized protocol for measuring and evaluating their entity. The purpose of this study is to determine how the voice and the chordal clinical aspect vary after oro-tracheal intubation, evaluated through voice analysis and laryngostroboscopy.

Vocal cord dysfunction is a rare clinical picture. It is labeled as a sudden and threatening dyspnea. Patients with VCD may also present cough, hoarseness, wheezing, and chest tightness, but an inspiratory stridor is the most common symptom. For this reason, such patients are often misdiagnosed with refractory asthma, because of poor response to steroids and bronchodilators. Diagnosis is suspected on clinical grounds and is confirmed with laryngoscopy. The therapy consists of education, speech therapy and if necessary psychotherapy. The purpose of the investigators' study is to characterize children, adolescents, and young adults with VCD, and the evaluation of predictors as atopy, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and psychiatric features.

Dr. Russell Traister, et al, describes a symptom scoring system based on retrospective chart review to help identify subjects with VCD. Dr. Traister assigned the following symptom scores: dysphonia (2), throat tightness (4), sensitivity to odors (3) and absence of wheezing (2). Patients scoring 4 or more points have a positive predictive value of 96% and a negative predictive value of 77% for VCD. This prospective study will look at a population of patients presenting to a large tertiary care referral center for symptoms of cough. Patients seen at the "Cough Clinic" are evaluated by a Pulmonologist and an Otolaryngologist. Each patient undergoes pulmonary function testing and VLS testing as part of the diagnostic workup. For this study the history would be expanded to include the 4 specific symptoms: dysphonia, throat tightness, sensitivity to odors and absence of wheezing. The symptoms will be scored and compared against the results of diagnostic testing to determine if these symptoms help predict those with vocal cord dysfunction (VCD).