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Abstract:
A muscle-nerve pedicle implantation to the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle as described by Tucker is an alternative to Teflon injection for treating dysphonia due to vocal cord palsy. Improvement in voice was noted in 19 of the 20 (95%) selected patients who were treated by muscle-nerve pedicle reinnervation. These patients have been followed for 6 months to 10 years. Changes in the voice were documented through assessment of high-quality audio tape recordings by three speech pathologists, results of a patient questionnaire, and evaluation by the surgeon. The improvement in voice quality was attributed to reestablishment and maintenance of vocal cord tone and mass, without the vocal cord stiffness usually associated with Teflon injection. The improvements in quality of voice with pedicle implantation are natural and lasting. This technique is proposed as an alternative to Teflon injection in selected cases.