Background: The blood vessels, mucosa, and serosa of the aerodigestive tract may be affected by a number of systemic abnormalities that commonly accompany rheumatic diseases. Involvement of the larynx in an autoimmune disease may manifest as cricoarytenoid joint nodules or inflammation. Few accounts of vocal fold lesions caused by autoimmune exist, with the majority concentrating on rheumatoid nodules.
Objective (s): to determine the relation between focal fold nodules (Bamboo nodule) and autoimmune diseases.
Patients and Methods: 20 patients suffering from hoarseness of voice with focal fold nodules (Bamboo nodule) before surgical excision, all patients were subjected to laryngostroboscopy, clinical rheumatologic assessment, laboratory and immunological tests for autoimmune diseases.
Results: 20 patients with vocal fold bamboo nodule were included in the study, 80% were females, 12 cases proved to be systemic lupus erythematosus (60%), 6 cases with scleroderma (30%), 2 cases with mixed connective tissue disease (10%).
Conclusion: patients with vocal fold nodules with high erythrocyte e sedimentation rate should be suspected to have an underlying autoimmune disease. Vocal fold Bamboo nodule is considered to be early evidence of autoimmune disease so medical treatment should be taken after its surgical excision.