Vocal Cord Paralysis

A 52-year-old man presents with bilateral vocal cord paralysis in the paramedian position following thyroid surgery. Which finding best distinguishes bilateral RLN paralysis from bilateral SLN paralysis in this clinical context?

A 72-year-old woman with a 40-year smoking history presents with progressive dyspnea, hoarseness, and dysphagia over 2 months. She has unintentional weight loss of 4 kg. Laryngoscopy shows a left vocal cord fixed in a paramedian position with a visible mass at the left vocal cord margin. CT chest reveals a 3 cm left lung apex mass with invasion of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve. Which nerve lesion accounts for the vocal cord position in this patient?

A 52-year-old male presents with hoarseness of voice and weak cry lasting 3 weeks following thyroid surgery. Laryngoscopy reveals left vocal cord in paramedian position. Which is the drug of choice for medical management of this acute unilateral vocal cord paralysis?

A 68-year-old woman with a 2-year history of bilateral vocal cord paralysis in paramedian position presents with progressive dyspnea and stridor. She has failed voice therapy. Which is the drug of choice for symptomatic relief of her dysphonia while awaiting surgical intervention?

A 58-year-old man presents with progressive hoarseness and dyspnea for 3 weeks. He has a history of hypertension managed with medications. On examination, the voice is breathy and weak. Laryngoscopy reveals the left vocal cord in a paramedian position with incomplete glottic closure. There is no history of intubation, thyroid surgery, or malignancy. What is the most likely etiology of his vocal cord paralysis?