Bilateral vocal fold immobility is an uncommon but serious condition with many causes. Accordingly, accurate diagnosis is essential in order to treat patients promptly and avoid long-term sequelae. Historically, diagnosis has been performed in the operating room with the patient under general anesthesia. We present the case of a patient who was diagnosed with bilateral vocal fold immobility by in-office arytenoid palpation that required only topical anesthesia of the larynx. The patient subsequently underwent appropriate treatment. In our opinion, office-based arytenoid palpation is a simple, safe, and accurate procedure for diagnosing bilateral vocal fold immobility.
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