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Updated: Aug 2, 2026
04:46
A Novel Rescue Technique for Difficult Intubation and Difficult Ventilation
Published on: January 17, 2011
Dynamic laryngotracheal closure for aspiration: a preliminary report
M Broniatowski1, S Grundfest-Broniatowski, D J Tyler
1Department of Surgery Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St. Vincent Charity Hospital, University Hospital Health System, Ohio, USA.
The Laryngoscope
|January 22, 2002
Summary
A new device successfully controlled aspiration in stroke patients by stimulating the recurrent laryngeal nerve, offering a physiological alternative to traditional treatments for dysphagia.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Otolaryngology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Stroke-related dysphagia affects 500,000 US patients annually, with half experiencing aspiration, a potentially fatal complication.
- Current interventions for aspiration are often irreversible and do not eliminate the need for feeding tubes.
Observation:
- A novel implantable device was tested in an FDA-approved study for dynamic laryngotracheal separation.
- Two stroke patients with chronic aspiration underwent implantation of bipolar helical electrodes around the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
Findings:
- Electrical stimulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve successfully induced vocal fold adduction, verified by nerve stimulation.
- Serial endoscopies and modified barium swallow (MBS) confirmed that the device systematically arrested aspiration with low-level electrical stimulation.
Implications:
- This pioneering study demonstrates that paced laryngotracheal separation is a clinically effective method for controlling aspiration.
- The device offers a physiological and potentially less damaging alternative for managing aspiration in neurologically impaired patients.
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