title: Electrical stimulation and testosterone enhance recovery from recurrent laryngeal nerve crush.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the effects of a combinatorial treatment, consisting of a brief period of nerve electrical stimulation (ES) and systemic supraphysiologic testosterone, on functional recovery following a crush of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a crush of the left RLN, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four treatment groups: 1) no treatment, 2) ES, 3) testosterone propionate (TP), and 4) ES + TP. Each group was subdivided into 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks post-operative survival time points. Groups had an n of 4- 9. Recovery of vocal fold mobility (VFM) was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Brief ES of the proximal nerve alone or in combination with TP accelerated the initiation of functional recovery. TP administration by itself also produced increased VFM scores compared to controls, but there were no statistical differences between the ES-treated and TP-treated animals. Treatment with brief ES alone was sufficient to decrease the time required to recover complete VFM. Animals with complete VFM were seen in treatment groups as early as 1 week following injury; in the untreated group, this was not observed until at least 3 weeks post-injury, translating into a 66% decrease in time to complete recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brief ES, alone or in combination with TP, promise to be effective therapeutic interventions for promoting regeneration following RLN injury.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy Program, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Gina N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: R&D Services, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.|Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Todd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Burgette
authors.affiliation: R&D Services, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Keith N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Fargo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Lee M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Akst
authors.affiliation: R&D Services, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.|Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: R&D Services, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, USA.|Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Foecking
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006728:Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D043343:Testosterone Propionate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D043343:Testosterone Propionate
keywords: Axotomy; androgen; electrical stimulation; functional recovery; rat; recurrent laryngeal nerve; regeneration; vocal fold