Ortner's syndrome

Ortner's syndrome is a rare cardiovocal syndrome and refers to recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy from cardiovascular disease. It was first described by Norbert Ortner (1865–1935), an Austrian physician, in 1897.

The most common historical cause is a dilated left atrium due to mitral stenosis, but other causes, including pulmonary hypertension, thoracic aortic aneurysms, an enlarged pulmonary artery and aberrant subclavian artery syndrome have been reported compressing the nerve.

Dysphagia caused by a similar mechanism is referred to as dysphagia aortica, or, in the case of subclavian artery aberrancy, as dysphagia lusoria. Due to compression of recurrent laryngeal nerve it can cause the hoarseness of the voice which is also one of the sign of the mitral stenosis. A second Ortner's syndrome, Ortner's syndrome II, refers to abdominal angina.