Tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy can cause left vocal cord paralysis

Abstract

Tuberculosis mediastinal nodes are popularly supposed not to cause serious complications, although pericardical effusions, bronchial erosions and stenosis, broncho-oesophageal fistulas, and superior vena caval obstruction have all been reported as complications of infected nodes. We report a case of tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy in a patient who presented with left vocal cord paralysis. Since vocal cord paralysis may rarely be caused by tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy biopsy specimens should be cultured as well as examined histologically to ensure a correct diagnosis.