Vocal cord paralysis. Association with superior mediastinal widening secondary to tortuosity of the great vessels.

A 60-year-old man had left vocal cord paralysis and a superior mediastinal mass. Rather than the expected mediastinal tumor involving the recurrent laryngeal nerve, he was found to have tortuosity of the great vessels of the neck that caused the mediastinal widening. In all likelihood, this was unrelated to the vocal cord paralysis. The diagnosis was suspected and invasive studies avoided due to close scrutiny of the lateral chest roentgenogram.