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Laryngeal recovery following type I thyroplasty
M M Gorham1, M A Avidano, M A Crary
1Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Florida Health Science Center, Gainesville 32605, USA.
Objective:
To describe the pattern of laryngeal recovery and its relationship to voice improvement following thyroplasty.
Design:
We used a 5-point scale to rate 5 laryngeal characteristics preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months following thyroplasty.
Setting:
A university-affiliated health center.
Patients:
Forty-four patients who underwent thyroplasty to correct incomplete glottal closure.
Results:
Improved glottal closure and reduced supraglottic activity followed thyroplasty. Although evidence of postoperative irritation (erythema, edema, or hematoma) was present in many patients, it resolved within the first 1 to 4 weeks postoperatively in 22 (73%) of the 30 subjects available for follow-up at 3 months following thyroplasty.
Conclusions:
Thyroplasty is an effective procedure in correcting incomplete glottal closure and works to reduce excessive supraglottic activity in some patients. Recovery from postoperative vocal-fold irritation occurs rapidly, typically between the first week to first month, depending on the type and severity of irritation. These findings may help explain variations in postoperative voice improvement.