Present situation and progress of surgical treatment for laryngeal clefts / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

At present, there is no unified gold standard for the treatment of laryngeal clefts. Type Ⅰ laryngeal clefts with mild symptoms can be treated conservatively, such as thick diet feeding and using proton pump inhibitor to control reflux, while Ⅱ-Ⅳ laryngeal clefts mostly requires surgical intervention.There are many different surgical methods for the treatment of laryngeal clefts, including injection laryngoplasty, endoscopic surgical repair of laryngeal clefts and open laryngoplasty through anterior cervical approach. How to choose a more suitable surgical plan for children is a problem worth discussing. This article will review the literature on the surgical treatment of laryngeal clefts both domestically and internationally, and summarize the current situation and challenges of surgical treatment of laryngeal clefts.

Development of simulation platforms for Laser Phonosurgery, Laryngeal Endoscopy, and Fiber-carried Laser Procedures

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background.</strong> Simulators in laryngology are an essential part of training. They provide an avenue for medical students and resident trainees to practice valuable psychomotor skills outside the realm of an actual patient encounter - thereby decreasing the risk of possible patient morbidity. Herein we present three locally manufactured simulation devices that can be used to train residents in laryngology procedures.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective.</strong> To present three simulation platform devices (Laser Box, Flexible Endoscopy Simulation, Thiel Cadaver Chair) and their applications in simulation-based learning</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods.</strong> The Laser Box, Flexible Endoscopy Simulation, and Thiel Cadaver Chair were manufactured by outside parties designated as 'Laser Machinists'.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Results.</strong> Ten (10) units of the Laser Box, two (2) units of the Thiel Cadaver Chair, and two (2) units of the Flexible Endoscopy Simulation were constructed. They were used in a laryngology postgraduate course in our institution to teach the participants on endoscopies and laser phonosurgery.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion.</strong> Simulation for otolaryngologic procedures should be an essential part of training. The learning curve for procedures such as laryngoscopy and laser phonosurgery can be addressed with the production of simulation platforms. Most institutions in the Philippines still adopt the "see one, do one, teach one" approach, which lacks standardization and puts patients at risk. Various task trainers for laser phonosurgery and flexible endoscopy have been reported in the literature, but there seems to be no published data on the use of a cadaver chair for simulation. In the COVID-19 era, aside from being excellent teaching tools, simulation platforms derive their importance in helping train residents, educate medical students, and review consultants - maximizing skill development - and thereby decreasing repeated attempts, and indirectly, exposure to the SARS-CoV-2. Future validation studies are required for the models, with the eventual long-term goals to further standardize training, increase patient safety and incorporate a simulation-based curriculum for the specialty locally.</p>

Single stage transoral cordectomy and medialization thyroplasty in early glottic squamous cell carcinoma: A case report

Objective@#To present the case of a 78-year-old man with Glottic SCCa stage I who underwent single stage transoral cordectomy type IV with medialization thyroplasty under general anesthesia. @*Methods@#Design: Case Report. Setting: Tertiary Government Training Hospital. Patient: One. @*Results@#Postoperatively, patient was able to phonate and gave a VHI score of 12 and GRBAS score of 4. He was able to resume oral feeding without any signs of aspiration. Postoperative flexible laryngoscopy showed fully mobile vocal cords with good approximation in the midline. @*Conclusion@# This report suggests that vocal cord medialization via thyroplasty may be performed after cordectomy in a single stage, providing acceptable postoperative voice as well as good swallowing outcome

Efectividad de la terapia vocal versus tiroplastía en la voz de mujeres transgénero: una revisión integrativa / Effectiveness of vocal therapy versus thyroplasty in the voice of transgender women: an integrative review

Introducción. Las mujeres transgénero encuentran frecuentemente problemas en ajus-tar su voz a la frecuencia femenina. Para favorecer el cambio vocal deseado por estos in-dividuos, se ofrecen dos técnicas: una quirúrgica (tiroplastía) y otra clínica (terapia vocal). Objetivo. Esta revisión integrativa pretende verificar las publicaciones científicas relacionadas con las dos técnicas, observando cuál reporta mayor efectividad. Método. Se realizó una búsqueda en bases de datos, considerando las palabras clave: Transsexual Persons AND Voice Feminization AND Thyroplasty OR Voice Training. Resultados. Nueve artículos corresponden a estudios observacionales y tres utiliza-ron una metodología cuasi experimental. Los grupos estudiados incluyen un amplio espectro etario. Ninguno de los estudios informa aspectos económicos de las inter-venciones. No existe evidencia de seguimiento a largo plazo. Conclusiones. La vía de tratamiento vocal con adición hormonal puede ser una primera línea, y en caso de no reportar mejoras, la cirugía aparece como otra opción.Recomendación. La recomendación es que se realice terapia vocal, que no im-plica riesgos significativos de complicaciones, siendo además un abordaje relativa-mente económico.

Introduction. Transsexual women frequently encounter problems in adjusting their voices to the characteristics of their new gender. In order to help in the change to the desired voice, two techniques are often used: the surgical (Thyroplasty) and clinical (Speech Therapy). Objective. The aim of this integrative study is to verify through scientific publications the relationship between the two techniques and observe which is the most effective.Method. A systematic database search was conducted considering the keywords: Transsexual Persons AND Voice Feminization AND Thyroplasty OR Voice Training.Results. Nine articles corresponded to observational studies and three used a qua-si-experimental methodology. The groups studied include a broad age spectrum and the quality of the evidence is low. No study reports economic aspects of the interven-tions. There is no evidence of long-term follow-up. Conclusions. The vocal treatment route with hormonal addition can be a first line, and, in case of not reporting improvements, surgery appears as another option.Recommendation. The recommendation is for Speech Therapy, which has no significant risks of complications and is relatively cheap.

Cervical plexus block as an alternative anesthetic approach for type I thyroplasty: a case report / Bloqueio do plexo cervical como técnica anestésica alternativa para tireoplastia tipo I: relato de caso

Abstract Background: The role of type I thyroplasty (TIP) is well established as the treatment for glottal insufficiency due to vocal fold paralysis, but the ideal anesthetic management for this procedure is still largely debated. We present the case of a novel anesthetic approach for TIP using combined intermediate and superficial Cervical Plexus Block (CPB) and intermittent mild sedation analgesia. Case report: A 51-year-old presenting with left vocal fold paralysis and obstructive sleep apnea was scheduled for TIP. An ultrasound-guided intermediate CPB was performed using the posterior approach, and 15 mL of ropivacaine 0.5% were injected in the posterior cervical space between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the prevertebral fascia. Then, for the superficial CPB, a total of 10 mL 0.5% ropivacaine was injected subcutaneously, adjacently to the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, without penetrating the investing fascia An intermittent sedation analgesia with a target-controlled infusion of remifentanyl (target 0.5 ng.mL-1) was used to facilitate prosthesis insertion and the fiberoptic laryngoscopy. This technique offered a safe anesthetic airway and good operating conditions for the surgeon, as well as feasible voice monitoring and optimal patient comfort. Conclusion: The use of a regional technique is a promising method for the anesthetic management in TIP, especially in patients with compromised airway.

Resumo Introdução: O papel da tireoplastia tipo I (TPI) está bem estabelecido no tratamento de insuficiência glótica após a paralisia das pregas vocais, mas o manejo anestésico ideal para a TPI ainda é controverso. Descrevemos uma nova técnica anestésica para a TPI usando o Bloqueio do Plexo Cervical (BPC) superficial e o BPC intermediário associados, em presença de analgo-sedação leve e intermitente. Relato de caso: Paciente de 51 anos de idade com paralisia da prega vocal esquerda e apneia obstrutiva do sono foi agendada para TPI. BPC intermediário guiado por ultrassom foi realizado usando acesso posterior, e 15 mL de ropivacaína a 0,5% foram injetados no espaço cervical posterior entre o músculo esternocleidomastoideo e a fáscia prevertebral. A seguir, para o BPC superficial, 10 mL de ropivacaína a 0,5% foram injetados na região subcutânea adjacente à borda posterior do músculo esternocleidomastoideo, sem transfixar a fáscia de revestimento. Analgo-sedação intermitente com infusão alvo-controlada de remifentanil (alvo de 0,5 ng.mL-1) foi usada para facilitar a inserção da prótese e a laringoscopia com fibra ótica. A técnica ofereceu via aérea segura durante a anestesia, boa condição para o cirurgião, possibilidade de monitorar a voz, além de ótimo conforto à paciente. Conclusões: O uso de anestesia regional é uma técnica promissora para o cuidado anestésico durante a TPI, especialmente em pacientes com via aérea comprometida.

Pediatric airway reconstruction: results after implementation of an airway team in Brazil / Reconstrução de vias aéreas pediátricas: resultados após a implantação de uma equipe de vias aéreas no Brasil

Abstract Introduction Since development of pediatric intensive care units, children have increasingly and appropriately been treated for complex surgical conditions such as laryngotracheal stenosis. Building coordinated airway teams to achieve acceptable results is still a challenge. Objective To describe patient demographics and surgical outcomes during the first 8 years of a pediatric airway reconstruction team. Methods Retrospective chart review of children submitted to open airway reconstruction in a tertiary university healthcare facility during the first eight years of an airway team formation. Results In the past 8 years 43 children underwent 52 open airway reconstructions. The median age at surgery was 4.1 years of age. Over half of the children (55.8%) had at least one comorbidity and over 80% presented Grade III and Grade IV subglottic stenosis. Other airway anomalies occurred in 34.8% of the cases. Surgeries performed were: partial and extended cricotracheal resections in 50% and laryngotracheoplasty with anterior and/or posterior grafts in 50%. Postoperative dilatation was needed in 34.15% of the patients. Total decannulation rate in this population during the 8-year period was 86% with 72% being decannulated after the first procedure. Average follow-up was 13.6 months. Initial grade of stenosis was predictive of success for the first surgery (p = 0.0085), 7 children were submitted to salvage surgeries. Children with comorbidities had 2.5 greater odds (95% CI 1.2-4.9, p = 0.0067) of unsuccessful surgery. Age at first surgery and presence of other airway anomalies were not significantly associated with success. Conclusions The overall success rate was 86%. Failures were associated with higher grades of stenosis and presence of comorbidities, but not with patient age or concomitant airway anomalies.

Resumo Introdução: Com o desenvolvimento de unidades de terapia intensiva pediátrica, o tratamento de crianças para situações cirúrgicas complexas, como a estenose laringotraqueal, tem sido cada vez mais adequado. Montar equipes coordenadas de via aérea para alcançar resultados aceitáveis ainda é um desafio. Objetivo: Descrever os dados demográficos e os resultados cirúrgicos dos pacientes durante os primeiros oito anos de uma equipe de reconstrução de via aérea pediátrica. Método: Revisão retrospectiva de prontuários de crianças submetidas à reconstrução aberta de via aérea em uma unidade de saúde universitária de nível terciário durante os primeiros oito anos de desenvolvimento de uma equipe de vias aéreas. Resultados: Nos últimos 8 anos, 43 crianças foram submetidas a 52 reconstruções abertas de vias aéreas. A mediana de idade na cirurgia foi de 4,1 anos. Mais da metade das crianças (55,8%) apresentavam pelo menos uma comorbidade e mais de 80% apresentavam estenose subglótica Grau III e Grau IV. Outras anomalias das vias aéreas ocorreram em 34,8% dos casos. As cirurgias feitas foram: ressecções cricotraqueais parciais e estendidas em 50% e laringotraqueoplastia com enxertos anterior e/ou posterior em 50%. A dilatação pós-operatória foi necessária em 34,15% dos pacientes. A taxa de decanulação total nesta população durante o período de 8 anos foi de 86%, com 72% dos pacientes decanulados após o primeiro procedimento. O seguimento médio foi de 13,6 meses. O grau inicial de estenose foi preditivo de sucesso para a primeira cirurgia (p = 0,0085), 7 crianças foram submetidas a cirurgias de resgate. Crianças com comorbidades apresentaram uma probabilidade 2,5 vezes maior (IC95% 1,2-4,9, p = 0,0067) de cirurgias sem sucesso. A idade na primeira cirurgia e a presença de outras anomalias das vias aéreas não foram significantemente associadas ao sucesso. Conclusões: A taxa global de sucesso foi de 86%. As falhas foram associadas a graus maiores de estenose e a presença de comorbidades, mas não com a idade do paciente ou anomalias concomitantes das vias aéreas.

Early Injection Laryngoplasty With a Long-Lasting Material in Patients With Potentially Recoverable Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

OBJECTIVES: Injection laryngoplasty (IL) is one of the major options for treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Early IL in patients with abrupt-onset UVFP can reduce hoarseness and aspiration-related discomfort and complications. Temporary or short-lasting materials are recommended for the early IL since permanent or long-lasting materials may negatively affect the voice quality when vocal fold motion is spontaneously recovered. METHODS: Patients who received IL with a long-lasting material (ArteSense) within 1 month following development of postoperative UVFP were enrolled for this study. They were categorized into a spontaneously recovered group (n=30) and unrecovered group (n=276) from UVFP. The subjective and objective voice parameters were collected before and 6 months after IL. Patients' demographics and collected voice parameters were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Age and sex distributions were not different between the two groups. Aspiration symptom, maximum phonation time (MPT), jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio (NHR), overall grade (G) and breathiness (B) of GRBAS (grade of dysphonia, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain) scale score, and voice handicap index (VHI) were significantly improved after IL in both groups. The amounts of improvement in MPT, jitter, shimmer, NHR and VHI were significantly greater in the recovered group. There was no IL-related complication including granuloma formation, hypersensitivity to injection material, or worsening of hoarseness. CONCLUSION: Early IL with a long-lasting material can be safely performed to improve voice quality and to reduce aspiration episode for the patients with postoperative UVFP, regardless of recovery from the paralysis. The amounts of improvement in the subjective and objective voice parameters were significantly greater in patients who showed spontaneous recovery from UVFP when compared with those in patients who did not.

The Evaluation of the Short-Term Voice Outcome of Injection Laryngoplasty Using Two Types of Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse versus Facetem) / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Radiesse® is a widely used calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) injection material used for vocal fold injection. Recently, a new CaHA injection material (Facetem ®) which complements the structural disadvantages of Radiesse has been developed and released in the market. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and short-term voice outcome of these two CaHA materials. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective analysis was performed for 70 patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who underwent vocal fold injection using CaHA materials. Acoustic voice analysis, maximal phonation time (MPT), voice handicap index (VHI), and Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain (GRBAS) scale were evaluated between Radiesse and Facetem injection group. RESULTS: Both groups showed a signifcant improvement of MPT, VHI, and G, B, A scale after injection. The Facetem group showed similar voice improvement as the Radiesse group, where pre- and postoperatively objective and subjective voice evaluation results were compared. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that there is no significant difference in efficacy and nor any short-term vocal improvement between Radiesse and Facetem. Therefore, the use of Facetem as CaHA injection material could be considered as an alternative material for patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis.

Sedation using dexmedetomidine and remifentanil with local anesthesia for intraoperative speech monitoring: a case report / Sedação com dexmedetomidina e remifentanil em anestesia local para monitoração intraoperatória da fala: um relato de caso

Abstract Background and objective Some surgical procedures such as laryngoplasty require patients to remain conscious during the intraoperative phase in order to enable speech monitoring. Dexmedetomidine and remifentanil were used in this study, since they promote appropriate patient collaboration with facilitated awakening, and are rapidly eliminated. Case report The patient complained of dysphonia, which had resulted from unilateral vocal fold paralysis after previous thyroidectomy. The surgical treatment was performed under local anesthesia in association with sedation using dexmedetomidine and remifentanil. The patient was stable and cooperative during the entire intraoperative period, without desaturation and with rapid postoperative awakening. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine and remifentanil can be used for safe sedation; however, the presence of an anesthesiologist is required during the entire intraoperative period.

Resumo Justificativa e objetivos Alguns procedimentos cirúrgicos requerem que o paciente se mantenha consciente no intraoperatório, como as laringoplastias, para que a monitoração da voz seja feita. Optamos pelo uso de dexmedetomidina e remifentanil por serem fármacos que proporcionam adequada colaboração do paciente com fácil despertar, são rapidamente eliminados do organismo. Relato de caso Paciente com queixa de disfonia por paralisia de corda vocal unilateral após realização de tireoidectomia. O procedimento foi realizado com anestesia local associada à sedação com dexmedetomidina e remifentanil. A paciente ficou estável e colaborativa durante toda a operação, sem períodos de dessaturação e com rápido despertar pós-operatório. Conclusão Dexmedetomidina e remifentanil podem ser utilizados para sedação com grande segurança, mas isso não dispensa a necessidade do cuidado por um anestesiologista em tempo integral durante o procedimento.

Effects of Injection Laryngoplasty with Hyaluronic Acid in Patients with Vocal Fold Paralysis

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of injection laryngoplasty (IL) with hyaluronic acid in patients with vocal fold paralysis (VFP). METHODS: A total of 50 patients with VFP participated in this study. Pre- and post-IL assessments were performed, which included analyzing the sustained vowel /a/ phonation, and the patient reading 1 Korean sentence from the “Walk” passage that comprised 25 syllables in 10 words. To investigate the effect of IL on vocal fold function, acoustic analysis (acoustic voice quality index, cepstral peak prominence, maximum phonation time, speaking fundamental frequency) was conducted and auditory-perceptual (grade and overall severity), visual judgment (gap), and self-questionnaire (voice handicap index-10) assessments were performed. RESULTS: The patients with VFP showed statistically significant differences between pre-and post-IL assessments for acoustic and auditory-perception, visual judgment, and self-questionnaire assessments. CONCLUSION: The patients with VFP showed positive change in vocal fold function between pre- and post-IL measurements. The findings showed that IL with hyaluronic acid is an effective method to improve vocal fold function in patients with VFP.

Technical Review of How to Determine the Exact Location of Needle Tip During Office-Based Injection Augmentation of the Vocal Folds Via Cricothyroid Approach

The office-based, un-sedated vocal fold injection laryngoplasty has re-emerged in the past decade as an appealing alternative to microsuspension laryngoscopic procedure which is conducted under general anesthesia. The trend toward vocal fold injection laryngoplasty in an in-office setting was possible due to technological evolution for visualization and new injection materials. However, invisibility of the injection needle has been the main shortcomings of cricothyroid approach. The purpose of this review is to provide an up-to-date review of office-based, trans-cricothyroid membrane approach injection laryngoplasty technique under local anesthesia and efforts made to increase the preciseness of amount and location of the injected materials in the management of glottic insufficiency. A review of variable efforts undertaken to maximize the result of cricothyroid approach by technically increasing accuracy of the location of needle tip was done. With the proper patient selection and utilization of the new technologies, office-based and un-sedated vocal fold injection laryngoplasty via cricothyroid approach can be redeem as a main-stay in the management of glottic insufficiency, such as vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold paresis, vocal fold atrophy and vocal fold scar.

Efficacy of Calcium Hydroxyapatite in Vocal Fold Augmentation for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis in Asian

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate efficacy and complication of injection laryngoplasty using calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) for unilateral vocal fold paralysis in Asian. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on the adult patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis from May 2015 through January 2016. Injection laryngoplasty was performed by one laryngologist. All patients underwent prospective voice evaluation using the subjective and objective comprehensive battery of assessments, before the procedure and after the procedure at 3 months, and 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 7 patients (5 males and 2 females) were included in this study. VHI-10 was significantly decreased after injection laryngoplasty, at postoperative 6 months (p=0.031), while VAS score and MDADI showed no difference. GRBAS scale gradually decreased in 3 months and 6 months follow-up without statistical significance. Acoustic analysis revealed that jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio continuously decreased from the baseline at 3 months and 6 months, although statistical significance was not attained. In the aerodynamic analysis, maximal phonation time was gradually increased at 3months and 6 months with significant difference (p=0.016, 0.031, respectively). There was no side effect associated with the procedure. CONCLUSION: CaHA can be safely used in Asian patients and the onset of maximal efficacy seems to be slow than other studies with Caucasian patients.

Benefits of Palliative Office-Based Hyaluronic Acid Injection Laryngoplasty in Cancer-Related Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The effect of palliative injection laryngoplasty in cancer-related unilateral vocal cord paralysis patients on voice and swallowing function is uncertain and there are few previous studies of its suitability, benefits as a palliative treatment option. The purpose of this study is to confirm the objective results of voice and swallowing function after palliative office-based hyaluronic acid injection laryngoplasty in cancer-related unilateral vocal cord paralysis patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD: 36 patients who had unilateral vocal cord paralysis from non-thyroidal, extralaryngeal neoplasms were included in this study. To evaluate the clinical outcome, we analyzed perceptual GRBAS grading, acoustic analysis, aerodynamic study, Electroglottography (EGG), Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30) about voice function and disability rating scale (DRS), gastric tube dependency, aspiration pneumonia about swallowing function and 36-Item Short Form Survey version 2 (SF-36v2) about quality of life. RESULTS: In GRBAS scale, G (p < 0.001), R (p=0.004), B (p=0.001), A (p=0.011), and S (p=0.007) showed significant improvement. Jitter, shimmer, speaking fundamental frequency, maximal phonation time, VHI-30, DRS score, gastric tube dependency, aspiration pneumonia, and SF-36v2 were significantly improved after injection (p=0.016, p=0.011, p=0.045, p=0.005, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 p=0.003, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: From this study we concluded office-based hyaluronic acid injection can be used as a useful palliative treatment option in cancer-related ill patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Palliative hyaluronic acid injection laryngoplasty avoids the need for tube feeding, thus reducing the risk of aspiration pneumonia. These outcomes are accompanied by significant improvement in voice quality.

Parálisis de cuerda vocal secundaria a intubación endotraqueal y su manejo: revisión en relación a dos casos clínicos / Vocal cord paralysis secondary to endotracheal intubation and its management: review in relation to two clinical cases

La parálisis de cuerda vocal secundaria a intubación endotraqueal es una complicación poco frecuente de la anestesia general. Se manifiesta con disfonía precoz luego de la extubación, y en ocasiones se asocia a aspiración. A continuación se presenta el reporte de dos pacientes sometidos a cirugía abdominal con anestesia general e intubación endotraqueal, que presentan una parálisis cordal unilateral en el posoperatorio inmediato. En ambos pacientes se realiza una laringoplastía de inyección con ácido hialurónico (Restylane®), con buenos resultados vocales. Uno de los casos tiene seguimiento a lo largo de dos años. Se describe esta patología y su manejo mediante una revisión bibliográfica.

Vocal fold paralysis posterior to endotracheal intubation is a very uncommon complication of the general anestesia. The symptoms includes hoarseness posterior to the extubation, and some times aspiration occurs. In this paper we present the report of two cases of abdominal surgery with general anesteshia and endotraqueal intubation procedures. Both subjects developed unilateral vocal fold paralysis after the process. The patients were treated with wedilization injection with Restylane ®, satisfactory voice's results were achieved. One of them has an observational time of two years. We describe this infrequent pathology and the treatment through literature review.

Comparison of Initial Therapeutic Effects of Voice Therapy and Injection Laryngoplasty for Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to classify patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis according to their fixed location and to analysis the effects of two treatment methods by early voice therapy and injection laryngoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients who were classified as full abduction and slight abduction according to the position of paralysis were treated injection laryngoplasy, and 23 patients were treated by voice therapy. Twenty patients were treated injection laryngoplasy and 23 patients were treated voice therapy. Results were evaluated by acoustic analysis, electroglottography, cepstrum analysis before and after therapy. The voice therapy was conducted by improving the larynx movement and glottal contact, whilst removing hypertension of the supraglottic and use the breathing. RESULTS: Significant improvement was found in the acoustic parameter, cepstrum parameter, and EGG before and after treatment in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups when compared before and after treatment to compare the effects of injection laryngoplasty and voice therapy. CONCLUSION: The initial treatments for unilateral vocal cord paralysis are injection laryngoplasty and voice therapy. however, there is no precise standard about which method should be applied first. Therefore, in this study, we tried to classify patients according to their paralysis position and then apply two methods. The results of this study suggest that voice therapy and Injection laryngoplasty at the initial stage is a very useful method to improve voice quality of vocal fold paralysis and improve laryngeal function.

Comparison of Voice Outcomes between Medialization Thyroplasty and Arytenoid Adduction with or without Injection Laryngoplasty in Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In unilateral vocal fold paralysis (VFP), medialization thyroplasty (MT), arytenoid adduction (AA) and injection layrngoplasty (IL) are the most common procedures to correct phonatory problems. There is no consensus that which procedure is superior to the other for correcting the glottal insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to compare the phonatory parameters between MT, AA and AA with IL (AA+IL) in patients with unilateral VFP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled patients from 2005 to 2016. Total 72 patients (49 male, 23 female, mean age 54.5 years) were classified into three groups ; MT (n=28), AA (n=12), and AA+IL (n=32). GRBAS scales, maximum phonation time (MPT), jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio (NHR), and voice handicap index (VHI)-10 and VHI-30 were preoperatively and postoperatively collected and compared between the three groups. RESULTS: Age, gender and cause of VFP were not significantly different between the three groups. In MT and AA groups, MPT, VHI, G (overall grade) and B (breathiness) were significantly improved. In AA+IL group, jitter, shimmer, NHR, MPT, VHI, G and B were significantly improved. In analysis of differences (pre-postoperative values), Δ jitter (p < 0.001), Δ shimmer (p=0.031), and Δ NHR (p=0.002) were significantly different and AA+IL group showed the greatest improvement. CONCLUSION: Analysis of voice parameters showed that all the three procedures for patients with unilateral VFP are effective in the improvement of voice ; especially in MPT, VHI-10, G and B scales. Compared to the others, AA+IL provided the better acoustic values including jitter, shimmer and NHR.

Calcium Hydroxylapatite Pulmonary Embolism after Percutaneous Injection Laryngoplasty

Injection medialization laryngoplasty is a procedure that has many advantages in treating vocal fold paralysis; however, undesired complications can occur. We experienced a case of a pulmonary embolism, suspected in a patient who had undergone an injection laryngoplasty with calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA). The patient suffered dyspnea after undergoing the injection laryngoplasty. Chest embolism computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a new lesion of enhancing materials at the pulmonary vasculature in the right upper lobe. The CaHA embolism was suspected, and the patient was treated with warfarin for 12 months. The patient's symptom of dyspnea nearly disappeared and a follow up chest embolism CT scan revealed no signs of the previous lesion. Thus, we would like to report this rare case along with a review of the literature.

The Study of Combined Voice Therapy with Intralaryngeal Injection

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Though voice therapy is proven to be effective in academia, treatment results and satisfaction level are inconsistent in clinics. The inconsistency may rise from diverse vocal cords misuse patterns in patient population as they suffer from different diseases or have bad phonation habits. In order to overcome the limitation, we uniformized patients' vocal cords with injection laryngoplasty prior to voice therapy. The efficacy of voice therapy and consistency in treatment results after injection laryngoplasty were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with vocal nodules were either treated with injection laryngoplasty followed by voice therapy (combined treatment group) or voice therapy only (voice therapy group). Each group consisted of 15 patients. Acoustic measures (jitter, shimmer, NHR), aerodynamic measures (MPT, Psub, MAFR), and subjective auditory conscious measures (K-VHI, K-VRQOL) between two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: After treatments, both groups improved in terms of acoustic, aerodynamic, and subjective auditory conscious measures compared to pre-treatment. Combined treatment group had statistically significantly greater improvement in shimmer, P in K-VHI, and PF in K-VRQOL compared to voice therapy group. CONCLUSION: Injection laryngoplasty treatment prior to voice therapy synergizes in treating patients compared to voice therapy only.

Management of Post-Throidectomy Voice Problems: Surgeon's Perspectives / 대한이비인후과학회지

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is not the only cause of voice alteration after thyroidectomy; many patients noticed slight voice changes after thyroidectomy, without evidence of RLN injury. Typical symptoms are easy fatigue during phonation and difficulty with high-pitched and singing voices; other symptoms are paresthesia, vague voice changes, throat discomfort, swallowing difficulties, and the feeling of choking. This collection of symptoms appears to be a real syndrome, which we have named post-thyroidectomy syndrome. In the management of these patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis, injection laryngoplasty techniques have regained popularity in recent years. Because it is easier and less invasive than conventional medialization thyroplasty and may provide equally durable and effective results. As a novel voice rehabilitation procedure, RLN reinnervation has advantages which prevent the progressive loss of thyroarytenoid muscle tone, tension and potential of restoring a normal voice with preserving of laryngeal anatomy. In this manuscript, we could get a lots of useful information how to manage thyroidectomy related vocal fold paralysis with adequate different techniques at different situations.