title: Quantitative criteria for predicting thyroplasty type I outcome.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relation between preoperative glottal gap and postoperative vocal function in thyroplasty type I. Twenty-two of 64 patients who underwent thyroplasty type I between 1987 and 1994 were studied. In preoperative digitized laryngostroboscopic images, the glottal-gap, width (GGW), shape, and area were examined at the maximum closure of vibration and normalized by membranous vocal-fold length (MVFL). Postoperative vocal function analysis was performed with aerodynamic and acoustic measurements and compared with preoperative videostroboscopic images. In patients with preoperative posterior GGW of less than 10% of MVFL, postoperative vocal function was significantly better than in other patients. Although thyroplasty type I is an excellent medialization technique, it may need to be combined with a posterior closure procedure in patients with large posterior gaps.
authors.affiliation: Ames Vocal Dynamics Laboratory, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omori
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Slavit
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kacher
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Blaugrund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D020704:Laryngoscopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*