gms | German Medical Science

85th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

28.05. - 01.06.2014, Dortmund

Endoscopic arytenoid lateropexy in unilateral vocal cord palsy patients

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author Vera Matievics - Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery Department University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
  • Balázs Sztanó - Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery Department University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
  • László Szakács - Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery Department University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
  • Zsófia Bere - Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery Department University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
  • László Rovó - Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery Department University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie. 85. Jahresversammlung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie. Dortmund, 28.05.-01.06.2014. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2014. Doc14hnod123

doi: 10.3205/14hnod123, urn:nbn:de:0183-14hnod1235

Published: April 14, 2014

© 2014 Matievics et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Introduction: Unilateral vocal cord palsy (UVCP) is usually treated with medialization of the vocal cord, in order to provide good voice quality. However unilateral vocal cord palsy can cause dyspnoea in certain cases, therefore it reduces the quality of life of the patients concerned.

Methods: Endoscopic arytenoid lateropexy (EAL) in these patients results in better respiratory function without deteriorating voice quality which improves the quality of life of these patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the phoniatric effect of EAL on voice quality in patients with unilateral vocal cord palsy. The authors report on 7 unilateral vocal cord palsy patients complaining of effort dyspnoea.

Results: The performed endoscopic arytenoid lateropexy improved respiratory function in all cases. The average PIF (peak inspiratory flow) was 1.9 l/s before the operation, and the average PIF value improvement was 2.1 after EAL (110%). However, the objectively assessed voice quality evaluated by standard phoniatric protocol improved in all patients. The value of dysphonia severity index (DSI) was very good in 5 patients (5.1–6.7) and adequate in 2 patient (0.64–0.85). The average DSI improvement was 1.4.

Discussion: a lateralized, therefore tensed paralised vocal cord can give a better phoniatric result than the loose paralised vocal cord in medial position. Thus improving respiratory function is not necessarily associated with the deterioration of voice quality. This can mean a new approach to the surgical treatment of unilateral vocal cord palsy.

Unterstützt durch: Travelling Grant 2014

Der Erstautor gibt keinen Interessenkonflikt an.