Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the synovial membrane, causing joint damage and bone destruction. Symptoms of cricoid arytenoid joint (CJ) arthritis often include a voice change and a feeling of fullness in the throat and pharynx. In some cases, bilateral CJ invasion may require an emergency tracheostomy due to acute airway closure. This report describes a 45-year-old man who suffers from voice changes and aspiration due to a vocal cord palsy caused by RA, along with bilateral CJ invasion. One month after receiving drug treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, the patient regained normal voice.