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Transplantation of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells to Evaluate Functional Recovery after Peripheral Nerve Injury
Published on: February 23, 2014
Recurrent laryngeal nerve transposition in guinea pigs
J T Heaton1, J B Kobler, E A Goldstein
1Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology
|October 29, 2000
Summary
Researchers recovered motor signals from the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) by transposing it into the sternohyoid muscle (SH) in guinea pigs. This may enable better control of prosthetic voice devices for laryngectomees.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Laryngectomy patients often lose vocalization ability.
- Prosthetic voice aids require intuitive control signals.
- Residual laryngeal motor nerve signals offer potential for improved control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of using recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) signals for controlling prosthetic voice devices.
- To assess the reinnervation and functional recovery of a transposed RLN in guinea pigs.
Main Methods:
- Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) transposition into the ipsilateral denervated sternohyoid muscle (SH) in 8 guinea pigs.
- Electromyographic (EMG) recordings to monitor reinnervation in awake animals.
- Nerve stimulation, section experiments, and histochemical analysis to confirm RLN source and muscle fiber type transformation.
Main Results:
- Successful reinnervation of the sternohyoid muscle (SH) by the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) within 4–14 weeks.
- Demonstrated laryngeal-like motor activity in the reinnervated SH during respiration, sniffing, swallowing, and vocalization.
- Histochemical analysis revealed a shift towards fatigue-resistant muscle fibers in the reinnervated SH, similar to laryngeal muscles.
Conclusions:
- Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) transposition can salvage laryngeal control signals.
- This method may provide a viable pathway for controlling advanced prosthetic voice devices.
- Potential for restoring vocal function in laryngectomees through nerve reconstruction.
