Laryngoplasty for vocal cord medialization: an alternative to Teflon

Laryngeal framework surgery, using a Silastic implant placed between the thyroid cartilage and inner thyroid perichondrium for vocal cord medialization, offers an exciting new surgical option to intracordal Teflon injection for the relief of symptomatic unilateral vocal cord paralysis. A series of 11 patients who have undergone medialization laryngoplasty is presented. The advantages, technical details, and results of surgery are discussed.     

Lipoinjection for unilateral vocal cord paralysis.

Injection of Teflon paste is a commonly accepted procedure to improve the caliber of voice in unilateral vocal cord paralysis. There are several drawbacks to Teflon injection, among them respiratory obstruction (from overinjected Teflon) and unsatisfactory voice quality (Teflon causes stiffness of the vocal folds). This paper is a preliminary report on lipoinjection instead of Teflon injection into a paralyzed vocal fold. Fat appears to impart a soft bulkiness to the injected cord, while allowing it to retain its vibratory qualities. It is autologous material and can be retrieved if excessively overinjected. The fate of autologous fat injected into a paralyzed vocal cord remains unknown. Most of the literature on lipoinjection concerns repairs of depressed scars or breast augmentation. Our longest follow-up has been 12 months. Three patients have had this procedure, and the results appear to be very encouraging.     

Evaluation and treatment of vocal cord paralysis

One hundred eighty-one patients with unilateral or bilateral vocal cord paralysis unrelated to laryngeal carcinoma or its therapy were studied. The orderly diagnostic profile used to delineate cause of the paralysis includes CBC, VDRL blood sugar profile, latex fixation and serum sampling for toxic heavy metals. The radiologic and endoscopic evaluation is done to completion unless contraindicated, to assess aspiration as well as to observe laryngopharyngeal structures which may cause the paralysis. This evaluative profile defined the etiology of cord paralysis in 80 percent of patients, despite exclusion of viral disease as a cause subsequent to upper respiratory infection. Blunt trauma and previous neck surgery each were responsible for 23 percent of the cases. Fifty-four patients had bilateral paralysis of which 22 were post thyroidectomy. Surgical repair for cord paralysis was symptomatic, and included 28 successful teflon injected cords. Recurrent laryngeal nerve decompression was successful in four of five operations and arytenoidectomy was performed in 39 patients.     

单侧声带麻痹的手术矫治

目的探讨单侧声带麻痹的手术治疗方法。方法应用回顾性研究方法，对1987-1994年间以一色信彦甲状软骨成形术为基础进行手术治疗54例单侧声带麻痹患者的临床资料进行总结分析。手术方式包括ⅠA型、ⅠB型、ⅠA＋Ⅳ型和ⅠB＋Ⅳ型。结果总有效率52例（96％），无效2例；术后随访时间最长者4年。结论就单侧声带麻痹的手术治疗而言，甲状软骨成形术的疗效肯定而且操作安全。但须严格把握手术适应证。     

低温等离子单侧声带离断并同侧杓状软骨切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹

目的 探讨在内镜支撑喉镜辅助下, 采用低温等离子消融刀头行单侧声带离断加同侧杓状软骨切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹的疗效。方法 对双侧声带外展麻痹的患者19例, 采用低温等离子消融术行单侧声带离断加同侧杓状软骨切除术进行治疗, 术后随访6～42个月, 分析评估该术式的临床效果。结果 19例术后呼吸功能恢复满意, 术后1个月内安全拔管18例, 其中术前已行气管切开8例。术后瘢痕挛缩喉腔狭窄未能拔管者1例, 经再次手术行对侧杓状软骨切除后成功拔管。嗓音评估发声效果满意14例, 轻微下降但患者能接受4例, 行2次手术者声嘶较前明显加重1例。结论 低温等离子单侧声带离断及同侧杓状软骨切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹, 术后呼吸困难完全缓解, 拔管率高, 发声功能保留良好。此术式创伤小, 术后愈合快, 安全、有效、微创。     

Laser surgery in the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis

The introduction of surgical lasers into microsurgery of the larynx has made the resection of the posterior vocal cord with or without the arytenoid cartilage possible. This method of surgical treatment allows one to carry out a fast, non-open larynx procedure and practically bloodless operation with minimal postoperative trauma and edema of the surrounding tissues. Since November 1990 at the Clinic of Otolaryngology of the University School of Medical Sciences 48 arytenoidectomies (40 on the right side, 8 on the left side), 19 partial chordectomies and 25 Kashima operations. All surgical treatment were performed by means of CO2 laser in patients with bilateral paralysis of the vocal cords. In all patients postoperative recovery was correct and breathing difficulties were not observed after extubation. Laryngoscopic control examinations were performed a day after operation and a wide lumen of air through the operative field was observed. At the control examination, narrowing of the lumen of the larynx was not observed, the healing process of the operation area was without granulation. Laser arytenoidectomy allows good results of the breathing and phonation function. No changes of granulation proliferation were observed at the side of the CO2 laser treatment. Lack of reaction to laser beam there was possibility to use endoscopic procedures in patients who did not undergo a tracheotomy.     

Laser arytenoidectomy in the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis

The introduction of the CO2 surgical laser into laryngeal microsurgery has made resection of the posterior vocal cord together with the arytenoid cartilage possible. Since November 1990, 30 arytenoidectomies, 17 partial cordectomies and 18 bilateral cordectomies as described by Kashima were performed by means of a CO₂ laser in patients with bilateral paralyses of the vocal cords. In this group there were 58 women and 7 men. The patients’ ages ranged from 28 to 71 years (mean, 46.7 years). In one case the operation was performed twice: the right arytenoid cartilage was excised initially and the left arytenoid cartilage was removed in the second procedure. Three patients required tracheotomy before being transformed to the ENT Clinic, Poznañ. The etiologies of the vocal cord paralyses were complications arising from thyroid gland surgery (n = 62), trauma (n = 2) and excision of a bilateral glomus caroticum tumor. In all patients except one postoperative recovery was correct and no breathing difficulties were observed after extubation. In the one failure after operation endolaryngeal scar tissue resulted in glottic stenosis.     

Endoscopic laser arytenoidectomy for the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis

Most patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis have a fairly satisfactory voice, but their airway is usually compromised. The management of such patients presents a challenge to the otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon. Numerous surgical procedures have been developed in an attempt to improve the patients's airway insufficiency without leaving him with a breathy, weak voice. Arytenoidectomy is currently the most reliable method of treating patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis. Although both endoscopic and external approaches have been described for performing an arytenoidectomy, the endoscopic technique is more desirable since it requires no incision and theoretically allows for the immediate assessment of airway size. The addition of the CO2 laser to the surgical armamentarium offers certain refinements to the technique of endoscopic arytenoidectomy. Eleven patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis of the larynx have been treated by endoscopic laser arytenoidectomy by the authors utilizing a technique developed by the two senior authors and subsequently taught to over 200 participants of the CO2 laser workshops sponsored by the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Northwestern University Medical School; 10 of the 11 patients have been successfully decannulated. The technique and problems of this operation will be discussed.     

双声带楔形切除术治疗双侧声带外展麻痹

目的：探讨治疗双侧声带外展麻痹的微创外科手术方式——显微支撑喉镜下CO2激光双声带楔形切除术的临床应用价值。方法：使用显微支撑喉镜激光手术系统,治疗4例双侧声带外展麻痹患者。结果：3例经过1次手术,1例经过2次手术,随访5-36个月,患者呼吸困难完全缓解,能耐受日常生活活动;4例均对自己的声音较为满意,能进行日常的生活交流。结论：显微支撑喉镜CO2激光双侧声带楔形切除术,不需气管切开,术后喉功能恢复快,并发症少。既能解决患者通气的要求,又能保证发声的质量,本方法治疗双侧声带外展麻痹有很好的临床推广使用价值。     

Pediatric vocal cord paralysis

Pediatric vocal cord paralysis accounts for approximately 10% of all congenital laryngeal lesions. Early detection of these neurogenic disorders is based upon a high index of suspicion and is important to prevent catastrophes during periods of acute respiratory embarrassment. This paper reviews the symptoms, etiology and management of unilateral and bilateral vocal cord paralysis as it pertains to this age group. A case is presented of a neonate with vocal cord paralysis and associated hydrocephalous and meningomyelocele to illustrate many of the problems associated with pediatric laryngeal paralysis.     

红宝石激光同期杓状软骨内侧切除治疗双侧声带麻痹

目的 :探讨支撑喉镜下以红宝石激光同期切除双侧杓状软骨内侧治疗双侧声带麻痹的疗效。方法 :全部患者均行气管切开插管麻醉 ,以红宝石激光同期切除双侧杓状软骨的内侧。结果 :无手术并发症。全部患者随访 3～ 13个月 ,呼吸平稳 ,喉内无瘢痕粘连 ,发音明显好转 ,声门呼吸部较术前扩大≥ 4mm。结论 :以红宝石激光同期行双侧杓状软骨内侧切除治疗双侧声带麻痹是切实可行的。     

Etiology of vocal cord paralysis

OBJECTIVE: Vocal cord paralysis (VCP) is a sign of a certain underlying disease, a diagnosis which can be attributed to various causes. This study intends to analyze the contemporary etiology of VCP in a tertiary medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records from June 2000 to December 2004 of hospitalized patients with VCP was done to determine the etiology. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety-one patients with a determined etiology were identified, consisting of 176 males and 115 females. Unilateral VCP was present in 259 patients, while 32 presented with bilateral VCP. The causes were surgical in 40.2%, neoplastic in 29.9%, idiopathic in 10.7%, traumatic in 8%, central in 3.8%, radiation-induced in 3.4%, inflammatory in 2%, cardiovascular in 1.7% and other causes in 0.3% of the cases. Thyroidectomy represented the most common surgery for VCP and was the cause in 57 patients. Lung cancer was responsible for 34 cases and was the most common neoplastic etiology. In males, neoplasm was the most common cause occurring in 63 of 176 males, whereas surgery was most frequent in 59 of 115 females. CONCLUSION: Surgical trauma, mainly thyroidectomy, is the most common cause of VCP in hospitalized patients. The possibility of a neoplasm must be ruled out before VCP is labeled idiopathic. A benign thyroid tumor could also cause VCP. Besides, radiation-induced cranial nerve paralysis in head and neck cancer may play a significant role.     

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。     

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis in children

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis in children with its many causes presents a challenging problem to the pediatric otolaryngologist. Traditionally, management of bilateral vocal cord paralysis includes securing the airway with a tracheotomy and waiting for spontaneous recovery. Surgeons have tried a variety of surgical procedures in lieu of or in addition to tracheotomy, but none are perfect solutions to the problem. This article reviews the current surgical procedures for bilateral vocal cord paralysis in the pediatric population with a particular focus on the senior author's experience with the endoscopic posterior costal cartilage grafting procedure.     

Electrical pacing for dynamic treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Experiment in long-denervated muscle

In order to explore the possibility of clinical application of laryngeal pacing as a treatment for unilateral vocal cord paralysis, we examined the reactivity of atrophic muscle to electrical stimulation in dogs whose recurrent laryngeal nerves were damaged by crushing, dissection followed by resuturing, or a 3-cm neurectomy. The threshold level to induce enough vocal cord adduction reached the maximum at 2 weeks after nerve injury, decreased with time, and never surpassed 7 V in each case. On the basis of results of these preliminary probings, laryngeal pacing was conducted on a dog 15 months after resection of the laryngeal nerve. Adduction of the paralyzed vocal cord for synchrony with the intact cord was achieved by 7 V of electrical stimulation of the thyroarytenoid muscle that was triggered by signals from the cricothyroid muscle.     

CO2激光杓状软骨声带突切除与肌腱切断治疗双侧声带外展麻痹

目的：探讨CO2激光杓状软骨声带突切除与肌腱切断治疗双侧声带外展麻痹的应用价值。方法：回顾性分析18例因甲状腺切除术后双侧声带外展麻痹的临床资料,术前预防性气管切开后,行CO2激光杓状软骨声带突切除与肌腱切断术。结果：18例患者术后即可经口鼻呼吸,其中15例于术后8周内拔管;3例于术后4～6周因局部肉芽组织增生再次激光手术后拔管;所有患者随访1．6～2．3年,无呼吸困难及误吸,对发声满意。结论：CO2激光杓状软骨声带突切除与肌腱切断,可有效改善双侧声带外展麻痹造成的呼吸困难,并取得较满意的发声,以及避免误吸。