Studies of early laryngeal reinnervation

In 1973, Hengerer and Tucker reported a method for laryngeal reinnervation. The purpose of this study is to objectively verify the reinnervation mechanism in 20 dogs with nerve-muscle pedicle grafts. Three months after the experimental operation direct stimulation of the nerve to the neuromuscular pedicle produced an evoked action potential of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle. This was recorded. Histologic examination of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle and the nerve-muscle pedicle were performed. The electromyogram revealed in ten of fifteen dogs an excitable action potential. This can be considered as objective evidence for reinnervation from the neuromuscular pedicle.