Diagnosis and physiopathology of laryngeal deposits in autoimmune disease.

We report the clinical features and pathology of a previously unreported form of vocal fold disease seen in 4 patients, 3 of whom were diagnosed as autoimmune disease. The characteristic features of these lesions were found as bilateral transverse lesions in the mid portion of the vocal folds. The patients had dysphonia and diplophonia. Stroboscopic examinations showed 180-degree phase shifts between the anterior and posterior portion of the vocal folds. Case 1 had systemic lupus erythematosus, case 2 had Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and case 3 had progressive systemic sclerosis. Prior to the onset of hoarseness, autoimmune antibody titers were increased. These cases need differential diagnosis from vocal fold nodules and cysts. Two cases were recurrent after endoscopic surgery, 1 recurring 3 times. Glucocorticoid was effective in preventing the recurrence in the early phase. Recurrence may have occurred because the surgical strategy was the same as that used for vocal fold nodules or cysts.