Bilateral Adductor Nerve Palsy Following Total Thyroidectomy: A Case Report

Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve palsy following thyroidectomy is usually attributed to the surgery whereas sometimes the cause can be non-surgical and can result in adductor palsy. Bilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve paralysis is rare complication of thyroidectomy. We present a case of a 35 year old female who developed dysphonia following thyroidectomy. The clinical findings and recovery were suggestive of a non-surgical cause for the palsy. The management of these patients differs and the knowledge in this regard is very important for the surgeons. The non-surgical and surgical cause of adductor palsy differs in presentation and management. Tracheostomy is not required and recovery of the nerve occurs in most cases.