Sarcoidosis Presenting as Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

Sarcoidosis with cranial polyneuritis and mediastinal granulomatous compression as a cause of unilateral left vocal fold paralysis has been reported infrequently. No case of sarcoidosis causing bilateral vocal fold paralysis in the abducted position has been reported in the Otolaryngology/Voice literature. Vocal fold function can be impacted in sarcoidosis by direct laryngeal involvement or by neural pathways. In the patient described in this case, sarcoid cranial polyneuritis coupled with bilateral paratracheal and mediastinal adenopathy resulted in bilateral vocal fold paralysis. This patient had a dramatic response to treatment with steroids. Sarcoidosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of unilateral or bilateral vocal fold paralysis.