Bilateral vocal cord paralysis. A complication of percutaneous cannulation of the internal jugular veins
J. L. Butsch, W. L. Butsch and J. F. Da Rosa
A severe complication resulted from internal jugular cannulation. An obese
patient had hematomas after bilateral attempts. The first cannulation (on
the right) was successful after many tries; the second (on the left) was
not. The patient was hoarse after the first attempt; more so and dyspneic
after the second. Laryngoscopic examination showed paralysis of the vocal
cords. Tracheostomy was done. Two weeks later, the cords were seen to move
normally. The tracheostomy was removed, and recovery was uneventful.
