HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Annema, J T Articles by Rabe, K F Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Annema, J T Articles by Rabe, K F Topic Collections Thorax Images in Thorax

A rare cause of Ortner’s syndrome (cardiovocal hoarseness)

¹ Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
² Leyenburg Hospital, The Hague, The Netherlands
³ Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr J Annema
Department of Pulmonology, P O Box 9600, University Medical Centre, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; j.t.annema{at}lumc.nl

A 78 year old man with a history of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and a myocardial infarction woke up one morning to realise that he had lost his voice. He did not feel ill nor had he experienced symptoms of cough or fever. He had smoked cigarettes for over 60 years and had a brother with lung cancer. Left vocal cord paralysis was assessed at laryngoscopy.

A contrast enhanced computed tomographic (CT) scan of the chest showed a mass with a central opacity in the aortopulmonary window (fig 1, arrow). In the diagnostic workup densities of this mass were measured which did not correspond with contrast as seen in the aorta. A mediastinal metastasis or mediastinal tumour was the most likely diagnosis given by the radiologist. As he was not aware of the clinical entity of Ortner’s syndrome, an aneurysm was considered less likely. Transoesophageal endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a saccular aneurysm of the aortic arch surrounded by a haematoma (fig 2). Using colour Doppler, flow was detected through a 5 mm connection between the aorta and the aneurysm (fig 2, arrow).

View larger version (124K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1  Transverse CT scan of the chest showing a mass (arrow) in the aortopulmonary window.

View larger version (152K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 2  Transoesophageal echo image showing a saccular aneurysm (An) of the aortic arch surrounded by a haematoma. The arrow points to the connection between the aorta (Ao) and the aneurysm. Es = oesophagus.

REFERENCE

1. Ortner NI. Recurrenslähmung bei Mitralstenose. Wien Klin Wochenschr 1897;10:753–5.

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Annema, J T Articles by Rabe, K F Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Annema, J T Articles by Rabe, K F Topic Collections Thorax Images in Thorax