About Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Expertise I am a board-certified otolaryngologist with additional subspecialty training in otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery. This is the subspecialty of otolaryngology that involves the ear, hearing, balance organs, the facial nerve, and surgery of the skull base including surgery for acoustic neuroma and other benign and malignant tumors of the base of the skull.
Experience Medical school, residency in otolaryngology, fellowship in otology/neurotology/skull base surgery
Organizations American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery North American Skull Base Society American Neurotology Society
Publications Laryngoscope Otology and Neurotology
Education/Credentials MD Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 2001 Otolaryngology Residency, University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology, Iowa City, IA Otology/Neurotology Fellowship, House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles, CA
Expert: Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Date: 12/5/2007 Subject: laryngeal spasm
Question Dear Dr Wilkinson, I am writing to ask about laryngeal spasm or vocal cord dysfunction (VCD). I am a 53yo 6'3" 160lb. black male. Over the past 8 years I have had 4 of these seemingly life ending episodes. The first one, I had fallen asleep on the sofa and accumulated a small pool of saliva in my mouth. When I tried to swallow, a small amount of saliva went down my wind pipe and the next 45 seconds were were some of my most fearful. I talked to my Dad about it and he said we had an Uncle that choked to death during sleep while sleeping on the sofa. Another time I was at a restaurant laughing and joking with a friend, I was drinking water only and just a small amount of water got in my throat. You might imagine the confusion and terror I caused to the patrons with this horrible wheezing sound. I haven't had an episode in 4 years but last week I was suffering with a cold and at 3:30 am while semi sleep I attempted to cough and had the scariest episode yet. This is the first time my wife has seen this and it frightened her to tears. As I read as much as possible about VCD, most sufferers are female and are misdiagnosed at an early age with exercise induced asthma. I swam competitively for 10 years, triathlons, etc and I have breathed in quarts of water without this response. My question is why am I having these now? Have you heard of this problem being fatal? Are there any precautions I should take?
Thank You, Dana
Answer This sounds more like laryngospasm from foreign material on the larynx (water, etc) than paradoxical vocal cord motion (PVCM). You should probably have a full ENT evaluation with a flexible scope exam of the larynx to exclude any treatable pathology.
