Recommendations on follow-up strategies for idiopathic vocal fold paralysis: evidence-based review

Vocal fold paralysis can be an early warning sign of serious extra-laryngeal pathology. Even if imaging investigations show no pathology, there is always concern about the emergence of new pathology in the future. There is currently no consensus on the best follow-up protocol for vocal fold paralysis patients with no abnormalities on investigation. Systematic review, using an Ovid and Medline database search of papers written in the English language and published in the last 20 years. Eight relevant studies were identified. Not all of them were directly comparable. A narrative review of the studies is presented and conclusions are drawn. Current diagnostic modalities are sufficiently reliable and sensitive to diagnose any significant existing extra-laryngeal pathology. Thus, once initial investigation (including computed tomography) has concluded, no further follow up is necessary.