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Case Reports
. 2023 Jun 5;109(2):343-344.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0799. Print 2023 Aug 2.

Case Report: Upper Thoracic Esophageal Paralysis Accompanying a Type 1 Leprosy Reaction

Jianyu Zhu  1 , Chao Shi  1 , Huaibo Zhao  1 , Rongli He  2 , Zhichun Jing  1 , Degang Yang  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Case Report: Upper Thoracic Esophageal Paralysis Accompanying a Type 1 Leprosy Reaction

Jianyu Zhu et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Type 1 leprosy reactions (T1LRs) occur mainly in patients with borderline leprosy and an unstable immune status. The main symptoms of T1LRs include aggravated skin lesions and nerve damage. Nerve damage involving the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves causes dysfunction of the nose, pharynx, larynx, and even the esophagus, which are innervated by these nerves. Here, we report a case of upper thoracic esophageal paralysis caused by vagus nerve involvement in a patient with T1LRs. Although infrequent, this serious emergency merits attention.

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