Selective cricothyroid muscle reinnervation by muscle-nerve-muscle neurotization.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if selective reinnervation of the cricothyroid muscle could be achieved with muscle-nerve-muscle neurotization.


METHODS
Case series.


METHODS
Tertiary referral center.


METHODS
Three consecutive patients with high vagal lesions that resulted in unilateral laryngeal paralysis.


METHODS
Patients underwent laryngeal reinnervation with ansa hypoglossi to recurrent laryngeal nerve anastomosis. In addition, patients underwent selective cricothyroid muscle reinnervation by muscle-nerve-muscle neurotization technique.


METHODS
Objective and subjective improvement in voice quality and electromyographic evidence of selective reinnervation of the cricothyroid muscle.


RESULTS
All patients recovered normal or near-normal speaking voice and had normal objective measures of voice quality. They also showed electromyographic evidence of cricothyroid muscle reinnervation.


CONCLUSIONS
The muscle-nerve-muscle neurotization technique was successful in providing selective reinnervation of the cricothyroid muscle in our 3 patients.
El-Kashlan
H K
HK
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Michigan, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0312, USA. hussam@umich.edu
Carroll
W R
WR
Hogikyan
N D
ND
Chepeha
D B
DB
Kileny
P R
PR
Esclamado
R M
RM
D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016067:Nerve Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000601:surgery; D014833:Voice Quality