Arytenoid dislocation

The reported incidence of arytenoid cartilage dislocation is low. This may be due to the wide range and orientation of motion allowed by the cricoarytenoid articulation and the laxity of its joint capsule. In two previously reported instances of arytenoid dislocation, the authors have suggested that endotracheal intubation is generally not sufficient to cause dislocation of an arytenoid cartilage, but that, in their cases, a predisposing factor had set the occasion for dislocation. In this communication, three cases of arytenoid cartilage dislocation, which each followed a single instance of endotracheal intubation are presented. In all three cases, painful swallowing was the main presenting symptom. Clinical features that differentiate arytenoid cartilage dislocation from vocal cord paresis are summarized. Early reduction of the dislocation, while the patient is under local anesthesia, is recommended, and the techniques are described in detail.     

True vocal cord paralysis following intubation

True vocal cord paralysis may follow endotracheal intubation and be the result of peripheral nerve damage. This damage can occur as the result of compressing the nerve between an inflated endotracheal tube cuff and the overlying thyroid cartilage. A series of anatomic dissections defined the likely site of injury to be at the junction of the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage and the membranous true vocal cord approximately 6 to 10 mm below the level of the cord. Cuff pressures were monitored during anesthetics. Analysis of the results indicated that nitrous oxide diffuses into endotracheal tube cuffs causing a substantial increase in the intracuff pressure. We have concluded that true vocal cord paralysis which follows endotracheal intubation is usually temporary. The solution to the problem lies in its prevention and several methods are described whereby it may be avoided.     

气管插管后持续性声嘶的原因及其治疗

目的：探讨气管插管后持续性声嘶的原因及评估杓状软骨复位的治疗效果。方法：对78例病人通过检查及疗效观察,确定声嘶原因,采用杓状软骨复位术及肉芽摘除术治疗。结果：78例中,71例为杓状软骨脱位（91．03％）,5例声带麻痹（6．41％）,2例喉内肉芽形成（2．56％）,杓状软骨脱位的病人全部治愈;声带麻痹治疗无效,喉肉芽形成的病人,1例治愈,另1例发音改善,结论：杓状软骨脱位,声带麻痹及喉内肉芽形成是气管插管后持续性声嘶的主要原因;杓状软骨复位术对杓状软骨脱位所致的声嘶疗效明显。     

气管插管后声带运动障碍的原因及其相关因素

目的:分析气管插管全身麻醉术后声带运动障碍的原因及其相关因素。方法:通过电子喉镜、频闪喉镜检查、CT三维重建、杓状软骨拨动复位术治疗等判定135例全身麻醉术后声带运动障碍患者的原因。从患者插管条件与插管操作者技术水平、患者体态状况、年龄、带管时间、手术类别以及麻醉过程管理等方面分析声带运动障碍发生原因的相关因素。结果:135例患者中,128例(94.81%)声带运动障碍原因为杓状软骨脱位,7例(5.19%)为声带麻痹。声带运动障碍与插管困难有关者占76.30%;与麻醉过程起伏有关者达65.19%;在插管顺利的患者中,体态及颈部相对瘦长者占90.62%;不同年龄段所占比率差异无统计学意义;带管时间>12h的患者仅占全部声带运动障碍者的9.63%;心胸手术后出现声带运动障碍的发病率近0.50%,占全部声带运动障碍者的59.26%。结论:杓状软骨脱位及声带麻痹是全身麻醉术后声带运动障碍的主要原因;重视患者插管条件和麻醉过程管理,提高插管技术水平有可能降低声带运动障碍原因的发生。     

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis following endotracheal intubation

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis following endotracheal intubation is an uncommon cause of respiratory obstruction. We report one case, adding to ten previously identified. We dissected eight human cadaver larynges and noted the path of the anterior ramus of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. It appeared to be particularly vulnerable to compression injury as it passed between the arytenoid cartilage and the thyroid lamina. This point was confirmed by histologic sections of intubated larynges.     

Is nasotracheal intubation safe in surgery for mandibular cancer?

A retrospective study of problems of postoperative airway maintenance after surgery for mandibular cancers was conducted. Twenty-seven patients treated in an intensive care unit after mandibular resection and primary reconstruction were included. The mean duration of nasotracheal intubation in 22 patients was 33.7 hours. Reintubation because of breathing difficulties was required in four cases. In one of these cases, failed intubation led to an emergency cricothyroidostomy. Failure to perform reintubation resulted in the death of one patient. One patient was tracheostomized after 5 days of nasotracheal intubation. Prolonged nasotracheal intubation after major surgery for oral malignant neoplasms may be an alternative to tracheostomy, provided that adequate monitoring is available after extubation. The safe duration of endotracheal intubation is difficult to determine. Primary reconstruction does not eliminate the need for an artificial airway after tumor surgery.     

成人气管插管后喉肉芽肿的临床分析

目的探讨成人气管插管后喉肉芽肿的形成原因及诊疗方法。方法回顾性研究1996年1月-2006年12月诊治的8例气管插管后喉肉芽肿成人患者，分析其气管导管口径和留置时间与发生插管后喉肉芽肿的关系，总结诊疗经验体会。结果所有患者所用气管导管均为F28-F30；导管留置2-23h，平均7．4h。全部病例均有拔管后的迟发性声嘶发生；喉肉芽肿物多位于声带突处，6例为单侧，2例双侧。均先予以保守治疗，2例经保守疗法治疗而痊愈，另6例经手术切除而治愈。肉芽肿组织病理学表现为炎性肉芽肿。经随访观察1年以上，所有病例的喉肉芽肿均完全消失而无复发。结论结合气管插管史，综合分析咽喉部症状特别是迟发性声嘶和喉镜检查所见，即可确诊。保守治疗或手术切除均可获得良好疗效。     

Extending the inferior limits of supracricoid partial laryngectomy: a clinicopathological correlation

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The study examined preoperative clinical characteristics that can be used to predict secure inferior margins of glottic squamous cell carcinoma extending toward the cricoid cartilage when performing organ preservation surgery of the larynx. STUDY DESIGN: The study was retrospectively performed using 31 serially sectioned whole-organ total laryngectomy specimens with associated preoperative clinical data. METHODS: Histopathologic and clinical variables including true vocal cord (TVC) fixation, cricoarytenoid joint invasion, subglottic extension (SGE) of tumor, and prior radiation were examined as independent and multivariate correlates of cricoid cartilage invasion. RESULTS: All tumors with subglottic extension of 15 mm or less and without arytenoid fixation were free of cricoid invasion. Of tumors invading cricoid with subglottic extension of 15 mm or less, all had a fixed arytenoid cartilage and local cricoid invasion type only. Correcting for subglottic extension using multivariate analysis, cricoarytenoid joint invasion and fixed true vocal cord independently predicted cricoid invasion. However, in a multivariate model together, true vocal cord mobility adds no predictive power to cricoarytenoid joint invasion. Prior radiation of the larynx did not significantly change the predictive capacity of these variables. CONCLUSION: Preoperative assessment of arytenoid mobility and extent of subglottic extension are reliable predictors of cricoid invasion by glottic squamous cell carcinoma. Organ preservation surgery is oncologically safe in the setting of glottic squamous cell carcinoma with subglottic extension of 15 mm or less and without arytenoid fixation.     

Submucosal arytenoidectomy: new surgical technique and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE: Arytenoidectomy is indicated in cases of bilateral median vocal cord paralysis (most commonly due to recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis), ankylosis of the cricoarytenoid joint due to arthritis, and tumours of the arytenoid cartilage. We propose the use of the submucosal approach, to excise the arytenoid cartilage in cases of vocal cord paralysis. We present the surgical technique and review the history and relevant literature, as well as the pros and cons of various surgical techniques for arytenoidectomy. SETTING: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. METHOD: We present six cases: five cases of bilateral vocal cord paralysis and one case of a chondroma of the arytenoid with mechanical fixation of the cord. All patients suffered from dyspnea on mild exertion. An arytenoidectomy using the submucosal approach was performed on all six patients. RESULTS: Airway results were evaluated via fibre-optic videotape laryngoscopy and direct microlaryngoscopy. Voice was evaluated subjectively by the patients and by a speech therapist before and after surgery. Following the surgery, all six patients showed clinical improvement, they no longer suffered from dyspnea at rest or upon mild exertion, and they retained reasonable voice quality. CONCLUSION: The submucosal approach is not difficult to perform and preserves an intact laryngeal mucosa, which prevents the formation of granulation tissue and scarring, which may further obstruct the lumen. The resulting airway is good, with minimal compromise of phonation. We feel that the submucosal approach to arytenoidectomy is an important addition to the arsenal of many surgical techniques for the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis.     

Vocal cord mobilization by posterior laryngoplasty

Laryngeal obstruction due to fixation of the vocal cords by scar tissue in the posterior commissure is a serious complication of endotracheal intubation. Until recently, operative procedures, including unilateral arytenoidectomy, were recommended for the relief of such obstruction. Because arytenoidectomy adversely affects voice quality, alternative procedures designed to open the airway by restoring vocal cord mobility have been attempted with some success. We report our experience with six consecutive patients, five of whom had previously required tracheotomy for relief of airway obstruction from posterior glottic stenosis. In all patients, the operative procedure included a midline thyrotomy, excision of the posterior commissure scar tissue, and stenting. Vocal cord motion returned to normal or near normal in all six patients, and all have been decannulated. Subjective evaluation of voice quality was the same or improved postoperatively. Our experience suggests that restoration of an adequate airway in patients with posterior glottic stenosis can be achieved without sacrificing an arytenoid cartilage and voice quality.     

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。     

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.     

Ectopic cartilage in subglottic stenosis: hamartoma or reaction to trauma?

In an experimental study in growing rabbits an endolaryngeal injury to the subglottis resulted in the development of a stenosis due to the formation of scar tissue containing ectopic cartilage. For comparison, biopsies taken from the subglottic stenosis in 8 children were studied histologically. In 6 cases ectopic cartilage was observed; all patients had a history of endotracheal intubation. In 3 children the diagnosis hamartoma was made. In the remaining 3 cases the formation of ectopic cartilage might have been a direct reaction to the endolaryngeal intubation. The observations suggest that the formation of ectopic cartilage in acquired subglottic stenosis is not always due to a developmental aberration such as a hamartoma.     

Contact granulomas of the larynx

Ten cases of intubation granulomas and eight cases of contact granulomas not related to intubation were reviewed for the purpose of clinical analysis and pathological investigation. Granulomas were located primarily at the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage. Additionally, 58 hemilarynges obtained from 37 cadavers with intubation granulomas were evaluated grossly and histopathologically. The intubation granulomas had no side predilections. All eight contact granulomas occurred in males and had a higher incidence of recurrence (three of eight cases) despite complete removal with laser surgery. In an attempt to explain recurrences of these contact granulomas, all three cases were studied clinically and pathologically. Results indicated that they recurred in singers and vocal abusers, and presumably resulted from the continued hammering of one vocal process against the other. Analysis also demonstrated that vocal rehabilitation was essential prior to or immediately after removal of the granuloma to prevent its recurrence. Pathological evaluation of the contact granulomas revealed focal ulceration and a covering of necrotic tissue with desquamating epithelium. The propria mucosa was edematous and infiltrated by chronic inflammatory cells and neutrophils forming focal granulation tissue in a stroma containing proliferated capillaries. Pathological features around local ulcerations were typical of a secondary granuloma while underlying arytenoid cartilage was partially necrotic.This paper was adapted from an extraordinary meeting of Colloquia and Workshops on Laryngeal Disorders, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Md., USA, 10–12 September 1992     

气管插管后环杓关节半脱位的诊断和治疗

目的　提高对气管插管后环杓关节半脱位 (AS)诊断和治疗的认识。方法　分析了 10例AS的症状、体征及电视频闪喉镜表现 ;所有患者均在表麻下行环杓关节拔动复位术 ,同时服用类固醇激素和阿斯匹林 2周。随访 2～ 6年。结果　患者症状为气管插管拔管后出现声嘶 ,检查可见声带固定 ,声带突高低不一 ,患侧声带振动存在。伤后 40天内就诊治疗 9例 ,拔动复位后杓部对称 ,声门闭合良好 ,嗓音恢复正常 ;1例伤后 4个月就诊者 ,多次拔动失败后 ,行甲状软骨板成形术Ⅰ型 ,嗓音得以改善。结论　病史及电视频闪喉镜检查可早期诊断AS。关节复位术是首选治疗方法。类固醇激素及阿斯匹林在治疗中有重要的辅助作用     

Spontaneous dislocation of the arytenoid cartilage

Dislocation of the arytenoid cartilage occurs following medical instrumentation involving the laryngeal cavity or laryngeal injury from outside the larynx. We reported a case of spontaneously posterior dislocation of the arytenoid cartilage. A 53 year-old man suffering from suddenly recurring aphonia and its improvement many over 3 months without laryngeal injury or inducement eventually ceased to improve. Laryngoscopic findings showed that the left vocal fold was tensely prolonged and the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage on the left side was dislocated posterolaterally. X-ray videofluorography of the larynx on repetitive phonation of /he/ showed abnormally high and diagonal displacement of the vocal fold and the upper structure of the arytenoid cartilage on the left side. Palpating the cricoarytenoid joint on the left side showed abnormal swelling with tenderness. Electomyography of the intrinsic laryngeal muscle on the left side showed normal action potential. From these findings, we diagnosed his voice disorder as spontaneously posterior dislocation of the arytenoid cartilage. We manually reduced it by pulling up a balloon inserted from the piriform sinus of the affected side to the esophagus.     

切除杓状软骨的喉垂直部分切除术中的残喉修复

目的探讨切除杓状软骨的喉垂直部分切除术残喉的修复方法。方法总结1991年1月—2000年12月87例(T1、12和，13分别有7、54和26例)声门型喉癌的疗效。因杓区或杓状软骨声带突受累，行切除杓状软骨的喉垂直部分切除术，术中利用局部组织修复残喉，重建喉功能。全部病例均未行填充物加高患侧杓区或利用皮瓣等其他组织重建声门。结果全部病例术后8～19d内恢复正常饮食。全部病例恢复了发音功能。86例患者拔除气管套管，拔管率为98，9％(86／87)。术后无咽瘘和肺部并发症，3例局部感染者7d内治愈。术后局部复发率为8，0％(7／87)，颈部淋巴结转移率为6．9％(6／87)。失访患者均按死亡计算，用直接法计算生存率，术后满3年者87例，3年内死亡5例、失访3例，3年生存率为90，8％(79／87)；术后满5年者63例，5年内死亡10例、失访2例，5年生存率为81．0％(51／63)。结论利用局部组织修复切除杓状软骨的喉垂直部分切除术的残喉，术后无严重误咽，发音效果良好，此修复方法既节约了手术时间，又避免了过度修复可能带来的负面影响。     

Late results of laterofixation in the treatment of bilateral abductor paralysis of the vocal cords: a clinical study with long-term follow-up.

Thirty-four patients with bilateral vocal cord abductor paralysis were treated surgically during the period from 1960 to 1979. The main cause of paralysis was thyroid surgery (85%). Woodman's external laterofixation was performed in 31 patients, 1 had laterofixation by laryngofissure and 2 had endoscopic arytenoidectomy. In Woodman's procedure the body of the arytenoid cartilage was removed in 10 cases and mobilized from the cricoarytenoid joint in 21 cases. Thirteen of the 34 patients needed further surgery. Including previously performed procedures in 6 patients, altogether 68 operations were performed and 17 patients (50%) were operated on more than once. The immediate failure rate of laterofixation was 22% but the need for reoperation increased with time and the total failure rate of the method was 44%. Endoscopic arytenoidectomy was successful in 1 of 2 cases as a primary operation and in 3 of 3 cases as secondary operation. Follow-up time ranged from 2 months to 29 years 8 months (mean 15 years 10 months).     

Direct pull of lateral cricoarytenoid muscle for unilateral vocal cord paralysis

CONCLUSION: Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle-pull surgery (LCA pull) is a safe and effective method for the treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of an improved method of LCA pull for unilateral vocal cord paralysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis underwent LCA pull between April 2003 and January 2004. A small window was made in the posterior lower part of the thyroid cartilage and 2-3 mm in a cranial direction to the lower edge of the thyroid cartilage. The inner perichondrium was carefully removed to expose the LCA muscle. A 4-0 nylon suture placed through the LCA muscle was pulled to adduct the arytenoid and was tied to the anterior lower part of the thyroid cartilage. All cases were treated by LCA pull alone. In all cases, the maximum phonation time was measured and an auditory evaluation was performed using the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia and strain scale. The airflow rate was measured in five cases. RESULTS: Vocal improvement was obtained in 11/13 cases (85%). One of the unimproved cases had cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis. No complications were observed.     

Fiberscopic reduction under local anesthesia for anterior arytenoid cartilage dislocation

Arytenoid cartilage dislocation is a known complication of tracheal intubation and is also a type of laryngeal injury. Although spontaneous recovery has been reported, most patients require reduction via pharyngoscopy under general or neuroleptic anesthesia, and some must be treated by open reduction such as laryngoplasty. We report 8 cases of arytenoid cartilage dislocation between August 2003 and August 2004. Excluding 3 patients who recovered spontaneously, we conducted reduction under local anesthesia as an ambulatory procedure in the other 5 with anterior dislocation, i.e., 2 men and 3 women aged 53 to 75 years old. Of these 5, dislocation occurred after tracheal intubation in 4, and in 1 after wearing a laryngeal mask. The outcome was favorable in all 5. Surgery was conducteded after a fiberscope was inserted nasally and a urethral balloon catheter was inserted via the other nasal cavity under topical anesthesia with 4% lidocaine for both nasal cavities and the larynx. While monitoring the larynx, we expanded the balloon and pulled it away from the glottis. The expanded balloon was then placed at the arytenoid region for a few seconds. This procedure was repeated several times to achieve reduction. Three patients recovered well within 1 to 2 weeks of the first reduction, while 2 requierd a second reduction because of insufficient improvement after the first. These two both showed improved vocal cord movement and recovery from hoarseness within 1 to 2 weeks after the second reduction. We conducted 7 reductions without complications in any patient. Our approach is usable in the ambulatory setting, and is simple, minimally invasive, and effective. We consider it to be useful treatment for anterior arytenoid cartilage dislocation.