Arytenoidectomy revisited

Abstract

The spectrum of disabilities attendant to laryngeal paralysis range from mild hoarseness to complete upper airway obstruction depending upon the static position of the paralyzed cord or cords. The most distressing disabilities are those of bilateral vocal cord paralysis in which both vocal folds are fixed in the midline resulting in severe upper airway obstruction. Clearly the most acceptable solution to the problem of persistent laryngeal paralysis is through the establishment of normal neuromuscular integrity by vagal repair or neural transfer techniques. While electromyographic evidence of reinnervation and some restoration of cord motion has been described, synchronous neuromuscular activity is, at best, unpredictable and generally unsuccessful. Successful reinnervation procedures depend in part on early repair and herein lies a disparity between experimental work and its clinical applicability. Given the realities of delays in diagnosis and the unpredictability of operative reinnervation of the paralyzed larynx, we rely on alternative methods of improving the compromised glottic airway consequent to bilateral recurrent nerve paralysis of the larynx. During the period 1962 through 1974, 23 patients with complete bilateral paralysis of the larynx have been treated by the posterior extralaryngeal approach originally described by Woodman. The following is a description of the operative technique utilized with technical modifications which we consider important in enhancing operative results.