Incidence of vocal cord dysfunction after fluoroscopically guided steroid injections in the axial skeleton.

Objective: To report on the incidence of dysphonia and/or associated throat symptoms after steroid injections in the axial skeleton.

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Setting: Academic spine center.

Participants: Patients (N = 100) undergoing a diagnostic injection followed by a therapeutic injection in the axial skeleton.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measure: Presence or absence of dysphonia and/or associated throat symptoms, as determined by completion of a predetermined 10-item questionnaire. This questionnaire was administered before participation in the study and at specific intervals after a diagnostic injection and, again, after a therapeutic spinal injection.

Results: There was a 12% incidence of transient dysphonia and/or associated throat symptoms in this study population after a therapeutic injection.

Conclusions: Throat symptoms are a potential, albeit transient side effect, after an epidural space corticosteroid injection. The mechanism through which dysphonia or other throat symptoms develop is unknown but appears to be mediated by a systemic steroid effect.