The natural history of idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paralysis: evidence and problems

Objectives/Hypothesis: To identify clinical evidence regarding outcome and duration of unilateral idiopathic vocal fold paralysis (IVFP). Study Design: Literature review. Methods: Medline search using the terms “vocal fold paralysis,” “laryngeal paralysis,” “vagal paralysis,” and “recurrent nerve paralysis” was performed. Results were cross‐checked by substituting “palsy” and “paresis” in place of “paralysis,” “cord” in place of “fold,” and adding “idiopathic” to each term. Furthermore, papers antedating the period of time covered by Medline were identified in references of publications. Case series identified by means of these searches were examined for information regarding duration and outcome of IVFP. Results: Seven hundred seventeen cases are reported. Complete recovery of motion occurred in 36 ± 22% (range, 13–83%) of individuals. Some recovery of motion (complete and partial) occurred in 39 ± 20% (range, 19–83%). Complete recovery of voice occurred in 52 ± 17% (range, 25–87%) of cases, some degree of recovery in 61 ± 22% (range, 25–87%). Most cases appear to recover in well under a year, with rare instances of markedly delayed recovery. Conclusions: Review of available evidence reveals a highly variable rate of return of motion in IVFP. The rate of return of normal voice is consistently higher, although similarly variable. The marked differences in rates of recovery among reports appears to be the result of variable definitions of recovery, oversimplified all‐or‐none notions of paralysis and recovery, and inconsistent reporting of time elapsed from onset of paralysis to evaluation. All of these factors should be addressed in future prospective studies to shed further light on the natural history of vocal fold paralysis.     

Effects of unilateral vocal cord paralysis on objective voice measures obtained by Praat

Unilateral vocal cord paralysis (VCP) affects the objective properties of voice by diminished neurologic control and degenerative changes in laryngeal tissue. The goal of this study was to compare the acoustic parameters of VCP patients with control volunteers using the software Praat. Acoustic analysis results of 18 unilateral VCP patients were compared with age and sex matched 72 normal adult volunteers. Comparison of acoustic analysis results of male and female VCP patients with their age and sex matched control groups revealed statistically significant difference in jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio values (P < 0.01) in both groups. There were no differences in mean fundamental frequency and intensity values. We conclude that these differences were in accordance with the results obtained by commercially available voice analysis programs. This study reflects the first results obtained with Praat software in VCP patients. Using the software Praat, is free and easy, that supports the clinician to rely on objective scientific data.     

喉返神经修复术及非喉返神经修复术治疗声带麻痹

目的 探讨喉返神经修复术及非喉返神经修复术这两种不同术式治疗声带麻痹的疗效。方法 ①单侧声带麻痹21例, 其中采用喉返神经修复术(喉返神经减压术、颈袢神经与喉返神经吻合术、颈袢神经肌肉蒂环杓侧肌移植术)15例, 采用非喉返神经修复术(声带自体脂肪注射术、自体软骨Ⅰ型甲状软骨成形术)6例;②双侧声带麻痹16例, 其中采用喉返神经修复术(喉返神经减压术、颈袢神经肌肉蒂环杓后肌移植术)6例, 采用非喉返神经修复术(声带外移术、内镜下杓状软骨切除术)10例。治疗前后以电子喉镜、频闪喉镜、声音评估等评价手术疗效。结果 ①单侧喉返神经麻痹患者中喉返神经修复组15例, 术后术侧声带活动不同程度改善, 发音时声带突明显内收, 声带振动及黏膜波均恢复对称性, 声门闭合良好, 手术前后的最大声时为(5.51±1.05)s和(12.10±1.41)s, 差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);非喉返神经修复术术后声带均不同程度内移, 声嘶症状改善, 但声带均无运动, 手术前后的最大声时为(5.47±0.45)s和(11.83±1.47)s, 差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。神经修复组和非神经修复组术后最大声时比较, 差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);②双侧喉返神经麻痹患者中喉返神经修复术6例中, 术后呼吸困难缓解及声带外展部分恢复4例;非神经修复术10例术后呼吸困难改善;神经修复组术后拔管率为66.7%, 非神经修复组术后拔管率为100%;Fisher精确概率法比较两组术后拔管率, 差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论 对于单侧声带麻痹, 喉返神经修复术及非喉返神经修复术疗效相当, 前者的远期疗效更佳。对于双侧声带麻痹, 非喉返神经修复术疗效更佳, 但喉返神经修复术不影响患者的发音功能。选择喉返神经修复术或非喉返神经修复术治疗声带麻痹, 需要医师根据自身的专业知识及技能、患者的身体状况及需求, 作出慎重的决定, 以取得可靠的疗效。     

声带振动功能的无创检测

检测60例正常人和20例单侧声带麻痹患者的EGG参数CQ、CI和声学参数NNE,并进行统计分析。结果显示：正常人声门闭合较完全,声门接触相中,逐渐关闭的过程快于逐渐张开的过程（CI为负数）。麻痹患者声门闭合程度下降（NNE增大）,声门闭合过程中渐触相时程延长（CI增大）。麻痹组与正常组间CQ值无显著性差异。提示EGG和NNE的无创测试可用来分析声带振动功能;单侧声带麻痹后声带振动模式出现病理性改变。     

Voice and vocal fold position in men with unilateral vocal fold paralysis

The paralyzed vocal fold positioning and the degree of dysphonia are important inputs when one is deciding upon treatment options for unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).ObjectiveTo check voice characteristics and paralyzed vocal fold position in men with UVFP.Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective historical cross-sectional cohort study, with data from 24 men with UVFP with mean age of 60.7 years, submitted to voice assessment by three speech therapists and three ENT physicians used laryngeal images to classify the position of the paralyzed vocal fold.ResultsThe paralyzed vocal fold was found in the paramedian position in 45.83% of the cases; in the intermediary position in 25%; lateral in 20.83%, and it was in the median position in 4.16%; the dysphonia resulting from the UVFP was characterized by moderate hoarseness, roughness and stress in the voice; breathiness (most had severe breathiness); weakness and instability(mostly mild); the position of the paralyzed vocal fold had a significant influence on the general degree of vocal deviation.ConclusionThe general degree of dysphonia is associated with the paralyzed vocal fold position; dysphonia is characterized by hoarseness, breathiness, roughness and stress of moderate to severe levels.     

Combined arytenoid adduction and laryngeal reinnervation in the treatment of vocal fold paralysis

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: Glottal closure and symmetrical thyroarytenoid stiffness are two important functional characteristics of normal phonatory posture. In the treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis, vocal fold medialization improves closure, facilitating entrainment of both vocal folds for improved phonation, and reinnervation is purported to maintain vocal fold bulk and stiffness. A combination of medialization and reinnervation would be expected to further improve vocal quality over medialization alone. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of preoperative and postoperative voice analysis on all patients who underwent arytenoid adduction alone (adduction group) or combined arytenoid adduction and ansa cervicalis to recurrent laryngeal nerve anastomosis (combined group) between 1989 and 1995 for the treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Patients without postoperative voice analysis were invited back for its completion. A perceptual analysis was designed and completed. METHODS: Videostroboscopic measures of glottal closure, mucosal wave, and symmetry were rated. Aerodynamic parameters of laryngeal airflow and subglottic pressure were measured. A 2-second segment of sustained vowel was used for perceptual analysis by means of a panel of voice professionals and a rating system. Statistical calculations were performed at a significance level of P = .05. RESULTS: There were 9 patients in the adduction group and 10 patients in the combined group. Closure and mucosal wave improved significantly in both groups. Airflow decreased in both groups, but the decrease reached statistical significance only in the adduction group. Subglottic pressure remained unchanged in both groups. Both groups had significant perceptual improvement of voice quality. In all tested parameters the extent of improvement was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: The role of laryngeal reinnervation in the treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis remains to be established.     

Migration of Cymetra after vocal fold injection for laryngeal paralysis

Injection laryngoplasty is a common operative technique used in the management of unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Cymetra is a micronized particulate injectable form of acellular human dermis that is commonly used for vocal cord medialization procedures. We report migration of an intracordal bolus of Cymetra into the medial wall of the pyriform sinus. Histopathology from endoscopic resection of the migrated Cymetra demonstrated a localized foreign body reaction with characteristic giant cells. Specific anatomic considerations through cadaveric laryngeal dissection are presented to demonstrate the likely pathway of intralaryngeal bolus migration.     

单侧声带横断与声带部分切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹

目的探讨用单侧声带横断与声带部分切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹的疗效与临床应用价值。方法对9例继发性双侧声带外展麻痹的患者,采用支撑喉镜下单侧声带横断与声带部分切除术进行治疗,通过术后的观察随访,对该术式的临床效果进行分析与评估。结果8例患者气管切开后行单侧声带横断与声带部分切除术,其中7例患者术后2个月安全拔管,1例不能拔管的患者经过再次手术2个月后安全拔管;另1例I度呼吸困难患者经口气管内插管后行声带手术。所有患者行单侧声带横断与声带部分切除术后随访半年以上呼吸困难完全缓解;术后声嘶程度均较前加重,但不影响日常的生活交流。结论单侧声带横断与声带部分切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹的方法,不需要昂贵器械,简单实用,临床疗效良好,并发症少,值得在基层医院中推广应用。     

声带麻痹病因分析和治疗方法的探讨

目的：寻找声带麻痹的病因和有效的治疗方法。方法：分析65例声带麻痹患者的临床资料，65例患者均经间接喉镜、动态喉镜或电子喉镜检查；其中31例行杓状软骨拨动术治疗。结果：由颈、胸部肿瘤引起声带麻痹14例；感染引起9例；颈、胸、腹部手术引起16例；气管插管引起12例；胃管插管引起3例；不明原因11例。治疗后声带麻痹消失37例，好转1例，有效率为58．46％；无效27例。结论：临床上对声音嘶哑的患者，应进行常规的间接喉镜、动态喉镜或电子喉镜检查。对有声带麻痹的患者应尽早在间接喉镜、直接喉镜或支撑喉镜下行杓状软骨拨动术。     

Value of ultrasonography in diagnosis of pediatric vocal fold paralysis

Objectives

To investigate the appearance of the pediatric larynx on ultrasound images and the diagnostic potential of ultrasound in cases of pediatric vocal fold paralysis.

Methods

First, we confirmed the ultrasonographic features of the laryngeal landmarks in 2 pediatric cadaveric larynxes. Secondly, 45 children were enrolled in a clinical study (13 patients with vocal fold paralysis and 32 normal children). Quantitative analysis of vocal fold mobility was carried out by measuring the maximum glottic angle (MGA) and vocal fold-arytenoid angle (VAA).

Results

All the paralyzed vocal folds showed abnormal mobility, and were flaccid during breathing and phonation. The rima glottis appeared as a hyperechoic air-column band in ultrasound images during phonation. The mean value of the MGA was 61.47 ± 9.00 in the normal larynx and 42.25 ± 10.41 in the paralyzed larynx. In the affected side of the paralyzed larynx, the VAA in maximum abduction was smaller than that in the normal larynx or in the unaffected side. The median difference of the VAA between maximum abduction and maximum adduction was less than that in the normal larynx. The kappa value was 0.96.

Conclusion

MGA and VAA are quantitative indicators of vocal fold immobility. Ultrasound is a reliable method of diagnosis of pediatric VFP. To diagnose VFP from an ultrasound image, the criteria are: (1) abnormal mobility (this was the most important and direct evidence), (2) hyperechoic air-column band of the glottic rima during phonation, (3) flaccid vocal fold and (4) asymmetry of the glottal structures.     

Surgery of adult bilateral vocal fold paralysis in adduction: history and trends

Bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) in adduction is characterised by inspiratory dyspnea, due to the paramedian position of the vocal folds with narrowing of the airway at the glottic level. The condition is often life threatening and therefore requires surgical intervention to prevent acute asphyxiation or pulmonary consequences of chronic airway obstruction. Aside from corticosteroid administration and intubation, which are only temporary measures, the standard approach for improving respiration is to perform a tracheotomy. Over the past century, a vast majority of surgical interventions have been developed and applied to restore the patency of the airway and achieve decannulation. Surgeons can generally choose for every individual patient from various well-established treatment options, which have a predictable outcome. An overview of the surgical techniques for laryngeal airway enlargement in BVFP is presented. Included are operative techniques, which have found application in clinical practice, and only to a small extent in purely anatomic or animal studies. The focus is on two major groups of interventions—for temporary and for definitive glottic enlargement. The major types of interventions include the following: (1) resection of anatomical structures; (2) retailoring and displacing the existing structures, with minimal tissue removal; (3) displacing existing structures, without tissue resection; (4) restoration or substitution of the missing innervation of the laryngeal musculature. The single interventions of these four major types have always followed the development of the medical equipment and anaesthesia. At the beginning of the twentieth century, when medicine was unable to counteract surgical infection, endoscopic or extramucosal surgical techniques were dominant. In the 1950s, the microscopic endoscopic laryngeal surgery boomed. At the end of the twentieth century many of the classical endoscopic operations were performed either with the help of surgical lasers alone, or in combination with other interventions.     

肌电图检查对声带麻痹预后的评估

目的 :探讨喉肌电图检查对声带麻痹预后的评估作用。方法 :对 4 6例单侧声带麻痹且固定的患者行甲杓肌的自发肌电图检查 ,分析甲杓肌失神经电位及运动单位波形、时程、电位幅度及运动单位平方根 (RMS)值 ;喉镜观察声带运动恢复情况。结果 :病程在 6个月以内 ,肌电图出现正常的运动单位波形、无电静息 ,提示预后较好 ,判断准确率为 76 % ;RMS值在用力发音时大于 2 6 μV ,提示声带运动可恢复 ,判断准确率为 80 %。综合两者 ,判断准确率为 84 %。声带麻痹 6个月以上者 ,无论肌电图检查结果如何 ,声带运动均无恢复。运动单位时程及电位幅度对判断预后价值不大。结论 :将喉肌电图定性指标与RMS值进行综合分析 ,可提高对声带麻痹预后判断的准确率     

人胶原声带注射治疗周围性单侧声带麻痹

目的：观察人胶原声带注射治疗周围性单侧声带麻痹的效果。方法：在强化局麻或全麻支撑喉镜下，对6例单侧声带麻痹病人行人胶原患侧声带注射。评估注射前后声带位置、声嘶改善状况及声学参数变化。结果：6例中5例术后声嘶明显改善，患侧声带移向正中位，声门关闭良好；1例声嘶改善不明显，患侧声带位置无变化。6例皆未出现不良反应。频率微扰(Jitter)、振幅微扰(Shimmer)及标准噪声能量(NNE)值术后明显下降，最大声时(MPT)延长，经统计学处理均有统计学意义；谐噪比(H/N)得到改善。结论：人胶原声带注射治疗单侧声带麻痹是一种方法简单、疗效确切、安全、病人痛苦小、价格低廉、易于临床推广的方法。     

The assistance of coblation in arytenoidectomy for vocal cord paralysis

Background: There are many causes for vocal cord paralysis, which can cause difficulty in breathing in serious cases. The common surgical methods for solving vocal cord paralysis include laryngeal splitting or laser surgery, but there are limitations. Plasma radiofrequency ablation is a new treatment with good achievements in clinical applications.

Objective: To investigate the effect of coblation-assisted arytenoidectomy (CSA) in the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP).

Methods: All patients had undergone preoperative electrolaryngoscopic examination of the glottidis rima; electronic laryngoscopy can assess the width of the glottis. The purpose of preoperative electronic laryngoscopic evaluation is to assess the width of the glottis, and arytenoid cartilage movement. Unilateral arytenoid cartilage and a section of the vocal cords were removed in all cases.

Results: Of the 14 patients, 13 were successfully extubated after CSA; 1 patient could not be extubated and underwent a second CSA of the contralateral arytenoid cartilage, after which extubation was achieved. All patients were continuously followed up (6 months to 2 years), and all achieved satisfactory results.

Conclusions and significance: CSA can effectively relieve post-CSA dyspnea in patients with BVCP. More patients underwent tracheal cannula extubation after tracheotomy compared with other surgeries.     

Videostroboscopic assessment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis after augmentation with autologous fascia

Vocal fold augmentation by injection laryngoplasty is a simple and fast procedure. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the glottal closure and the travelling mucosal wave by videostroboscopic images after autologous fascia augmentation in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) with a special reference to objective analysis of voice. A total of 14 UVFP patients with poor voice and open glottal gap were assessed by videostroboscopy, blinded perceptual evaluation of running speech and acoustical analysis of sustained vowel. Data were collected before the procedure and at a supplementary evaluation 5–32 months (mean: 13 months) after injection of autologous fascia deep into the paralysed vocal fold. Mean age was 59 years; there were eight women and six men. Frame-by-frame video analysis revealed that before the operation 10 out of 12 had large glottal gaps without any contact between vocal folds on phonation. After the procedure seven gaps were completely closed, four partly, and two had no mucosal contact in stroboscopic examination. Maximum gap between vocal folds decreased from 7.21 units to 1.65 units (paired t-test P<0.001). Mucosal wave amplitude symmetry and phase synchrony were present in most subjects with partial closure and phase synchrony in every patient with a proper glottic closure. A panel of listeners rated voice to be significantly better (P<0.01) ) after the procedure, and the improvement in acoustical parameters was also statistically significant (P<0.01). There was a good correlation between objective voice analysis and videostroboscopy. Residual glottal gap was the major reason for less than optimal postoperative voice. No signs of hampered mucosal wave were noticed. Videostroboscopy and objective voice analysis suggest that augmentation by autologous fascia does not induce scar or fibrous tissue in the subepithelial space. Slight over-correction should be attempted initially in order to accomplish sufficient augmentation. This might enhance complete glottic closure and improve the outcome.