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DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1685596
Non-selective unilateral laryngeal reinnervation as salvage treatment after unsuccessful thyroplasty
Introduction:
Non-selective unilateral laryngeal reinnervation (ULR) is the surgical anastomosis between the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) with a motor nerve in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVP). We present the results of nine patients in whom non-selective ULR was performed as salvage treatment after unsuccessful thyroplasty.
Methods:
Nine patients with UVP and persistent dysphonia after thyroplasty were included in this prospective, unicentric study. Reinnervation was achieved by surgical anastomosis between the RLN and the ansa cervicalis. Voice quality was measured by use of a questionnaire (Rouen Voice Questionnaire: 0 – 140), phoniatric voice evaluation (GRBAS-Scale, Hirano) and computer assisted voice analysis (shimmer, jitter, maximal phonation time in seconds, maximal intensity in dB) pre- and postoperative after 1 – 3, 12 or more months (m).
Results:
We observed significant improvement of self-evaluated voice quality measured by questionnaire (pre: 91.83, 1 – 3 m: 52, 36 m: 24 (p < 0.001)). Computerized phonation parameters significantly improved over time (jitter: pre: 3.25, 1 – 3 m: 1,49, 12 m: 1.14 (p =.01); shimmer: pre: 1.29, 1 – 3 m: 0.68, 12 m: 0.49 (p < .017). Maximal voice intensity significantly improved over time (max. intensity (dB): pre: 90.85 1 – 3 m: 91.1, 12 m: 96.4 (p < .012)). No significant improvement of maximal phonation time over time was observed (max. phonation time (s): pre: 8.77, 1 – 3 m: 8.9; 12 m: 12.88 p = 0.65). A significant improvement of externally assessed voice quality measured by the Hirano-score was observed.
Conclusions:
Non-selective ULR in UVP is a reliable and stable therapeutic option as salvage treatment for patients with persistent dysphonia after unsuccessful thyroplasty.
Publication History
Publication Date:
23 April 2019 (online)
© 2019. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Stuttgart · New York