Voice and laryngeal configuration of men with unilateral vocal fold paralysis before and after medialization.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the laryngeal configuration and the voice of male patients diagnosed with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) before and after medialization.


METHODS
A retrospective study involving the collection of data from medical records of 142 patients diagnosed with UVFP from January 2003 to April 2009, submitted to auditory-perceptual assessment of voices and visual perception of laryngeal images before and after medialization.


RESULTS
The study included data from 24 male patients, with an average of 60.7 years, who underwent three surgical medialization techniques (injection of hyaluronic acid, type I thyroplasty, and injection of Teflon). Before treatment, the position of the paralyzed vocal fold was seen to have a significant influence to the passing of the healthy vocal fold beyond the midline and on the overall degree of dysphonia. After treatment, the complete glottic closure; the free margin of the linear vocal fold; paralyzed vocal fold in the median position, reduction of hoarseness, roughness and breathiness (more frequently mild), and asthenia (more frequently normal and mild); tension and instability (more frequency normal); and a decrease in the overall degree of dysphonia were found to be significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The position of the paralyzed vocal fold influences the position of the healthy vocal fold in relation to the midline and the overall degree of dysphonia. All three treatments improved the glottic configuration and the voice of patients with UVFP.
Department of Morphological Sciences, Neuroscience Program, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. fonoka@hotmail.com
Karine
K
Schwarz
Carla Aparecida
CA
Cielo
Nédio
N
Steffen
Jéfferson
J
Becker
Geraldo Pereira
GP
Jotz
D000368:Aged; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D058753:Laryngoplasty; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology*