Early results for treatment of unilateral vocal fold palsy with injection medialisation under local anaesthetic

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology Vol. 123; no. 8; pp. 873 - 876
• Main Authors: Pratap, R, Mehta, P, Blagnys, B, Montgomery, P Q
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2009
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia, Local - methods; Anesthetics, Local - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Endoscopy; Endoscopy - methods; Female; Humans; Injections; Laryngoscopy - methods; Larynx; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome; Vocal Cord Paralysis; Vocal Cord Paralysis - surgery; Voice Quality; Injections; Vocal Cord Paralysis; Larynx; Endoscopy; Local anesthetic; Vocal cord paralysis; Treatment; Unilateral; Early; ENT; Injection; Vocal cord
• ISSN: 0022-2151; 1748-5460
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215109004629

The diagnosis and treatment of unilateral vocal fold palsy is a common part of otolaryngology practice. In those patients in whom resolution of symptoms is slow, the resulting dysphonia can have a dramatic effect on the patient's quality of voice and life. We have previously described the procedure of direct phonoplasty under local anaesthesia using the transnasal laryngoesophagoscope. To examine the subjective and objective data for the first five patients to undergo this procedure, in the form of laryngographic speech analysis, perceptual assessment and therapy outcome measures. Analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in voice quality, in all the above assessment categories, following local anaesthetic direct phonoplasty using the transnasal laryngoesophagoscope. Collagen injection via transnasal flexible laryngoesophagoscopy is a particularly useful technique for treating vocal fold medialisation, especially in palliative care patients and those with shortened life expectancy.