CALL FOR PATIENTS
Hereditary Neuropathy and Vocal Cord Problems

It has been known for some time that certain types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder involve the muscles of the larynx (voicebox). There is reason to think that such problems may be more common than doctors have realized. The Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation is supporting a major new research effort to shed light on this problem. As part of this work, we are interested in examining patients with problems that may be related to weakness of the vocal folds (vocal cords).

You qualify for the examination if you are 18 years old or older and live in the New York City area, and you have noticed any of the following problems

1. Your voice is hoarse or breathy
2. You have difficulty speaking at loud volumes
3. You run out of breath while speaking
4. Your voice tires quickly
5. You develop shortness of breath while talking
6. Your breathing is noisy, particularly when taking a breath in

The examination is performed in the doctor’s office and takes about 15 minutes. There are no blood draws, needles, EMG testing, x-rays or other tests. The doctor will tell you the results right away, before you leave the office. And you’ll be helping us to better understand vocal cord problems in hereditary neuropathies.

For more information or to schedule an evaluation, please call 212.844.6712.

Lucian Sulica, MD Dept. of Otolaryngology, Beth Israel Medical Center, 10 Union Square East, Suite 4J, New York, NY 10003.