Bilateral vocal fold paralysis secondary to staphylococcal cervical spondylodiscitis.

Spondylodiscitis is a rare disease with an incidence of 0.2--2 cases/100 000 inhabitants/year. It affects men more than women (3:1). Its predisposing factors are: diabetes mellitus (DM), advanced age, malnutrition, immunodeficiency (HIV, chronic use of steroids), substance abuse (drugs, alcohol), septicaemia, chronic anaemia and kidney failure. Cervical location is the third most frequent after lumbar and thoracic locations. It may be primary (spontaneous) or secondary to trauma, surgery. The initial symptoms are non-specific: local pain, stiffness, fever and constitutional symptoms. Criteria for severity are neurological deficits, more frequent in cervical and thoracic spondylodiscitis. This disease may be fatal. Staphylococcus aureus is the