A Systematic Review of Ortner’s Syndrome

Abstract

Ortner's syndrome, also known as the syndrome cardiovocal, is characterized by the compression, stretching or dissection of recurrent laryngeal nerve, secondarily caused by cardiovascular abnormal. Through a systematic review about the issue, on the main bases data, we named the main aspects which go around the syndrome, from its symptoms to its treatments based on its different causes, such as, valvar mitral stenosis, aortic aneurysm among others whose effect brings about a compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Therefore, the left recurrent laryngeal nerve is more affected because of its anatomical position. Due to its path surrounding aortic arch and passing between pulmonary artery and aortic arch, it has a greater chance to compression. Its clinical importance is related to differential diagnosis which is also connected to many different pathologies such as neoplasia (pulmonary, thyroid, mediastinal, esophageal) and surgical iatrogenic causes which may affect the recurrent laryngeal nerve causing various symptoms related to this involvement.