Early Injection Laryngoplasty: Acoustic and Aerodynamic Outcomes with a Modified General Anesthesia Approach.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Speech and Language Pathology

Background:

• Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) significantly impacts voice quality and glottic function.
• Early intervention for UVFP is crucial to prevent maladaptive changes and improve outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate voice and glottic function changes after early injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid in UVFP patients.
• To assess the efficacy of a modified general anesthesia approach without airway instrumentation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 32 UVFP patients undergoing early injection laryngoplasty (within 3 months).
• Procedures performed under general anesthesia with endoscopic visualization, avoiding endotracheal intubation.
• Pre- and postoperative acoustic, aerodynamic, and videostroboscopic analyses were conducted.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in voice parameters: decreased shimmer, jitter, and noise-to-harmonic ratio (NHR); increased maximum phonation time (MFT) and improved S/Z ratio.
• Videostroboscopy showed enhanced glottic closure and vocal fold vibration.
• No major complications were reported.

Conclusions:

• Early injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid offers significant voice and glottic function improvements in UVFP.
• The modified anesthesia technique is safe and effective.
• Timely intervention may prevent detrimental laryngeal adaptations.