Work

Successful Treatment of Paradoxical Vocal Cord Motion with Sub-dissociative Dose Ketamine: Case Report

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Paradoxical vocal cord motion (PVCM) is a primarily neuropsychiatric condition that causes inappropriate adduction of the vocal cords during respiration. This condition is commonly misdiagnosed and treated as refractory asthma or upper airway obstruction requiring intensive care unit-level of care. Recent expert opinion suggests that ketamine administration may promote PVCM symptom resolution; however, this phenomenon has not yet been documented in the literature. CASE REPORT: This is the case of a 23-year-old female who presented to the emergency department (ED) with acute PVCM exacerbation. After failing to respond to standard-of-care therapies including benzodiazepines, the patient was administered intravenous, sub-dissociative dose ketamine, which led to symptom resolution and discharge. CONCLUSION: Sub-dissociative dose ketamine may be a safe and effective therapy for PVCM exacerbations in the ED. In this report we explore the patient factors that likely mediated the clinical outcome in this case.

Source: Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine

DOI: 10.5811/cpcem.24830

Authors: Keaton Cameron-Burr, Elizabeth Terry-Kantor, Taneisha Wilson

Institution: Brown University

Language: English

Topic: Respiratory and Cough-Related Research

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $500