反回神経麻痺の臨床統計的観察

Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy: A Clinical Study of 436 Cases

　I．はじめに

　最近8年間に，久留米大学耳鼻咽喉科外来を受診した反回神経麻痺患者について統計的に観察した。そしてこの疾患の最近の動向について検討したので報告する。

　Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 436 patients was studied in our clinic from 1971 to 1978. The highest incidence was found in the age group of 40, 50 and 60 years. The vocal cords were affected bilaterally in 37 cases, whereas, unilateral vocal cord was affected in 399. The left recurrent laryngeal nerve was paralyzed in 71 percent of the unilateral cases and the right in 29 percent. The most frequent etiology was so-called idiopathic palsy which was presumably caused by viral neuritis. In the idiopathic recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, the highest incidence was found in the age group of 40 years.

　The palsy caused by thyroid surgery was mostly occured in the sixth decade and the palsy by malignant neoplasms in the seventh decade.