2024 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 28-33
Unilateral vocal fold paralysis is a frequently encountered disorder of the larynx with a wide variety of underlying causes. Although spontaneous resolution of paralysis is observed in some cases, most patients will have permanent paralysis. This paralysis can result in hoarseness of voice, leading to a significant decline in the quality of life and interference with daily activities. However, many of these patients are not offered effective voice treatment options.
Our department believes that these patients are good candidates for voice improvement surgery, and we established an outpatient clinic specializing in voice disorders and laryngeal diseases in October 2016 to provide targeted and specialized treatment options. We subsequently tracked 29 patients who underwent laryngoplasty over a 6-year period from October 2016 to September 2022. All patients underwent arytenoid adduction and thyroplasty type 1 under local anesthesia. Twenty patients were followed for more than one year after surgery and were included in this study.
Although some patients did not show improvement in the maximum phonation time, all 20 showed improvement in the Voice Handicap Index after the surgery.
