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Diagnosis and Management of Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility
Katherine C. Yung, MDAssistant Professor, Division of Laryngology
Dept. of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Introduction: Nomenclature A vocal fold is immobile if it does not actively
adduct or abduct on clinical examination.
A hypomobile vocal fold has reduced range and/or speed of motion.
Terms describe the subjective exam finding and make no assumption of the etiology for the impaired motion
Vast majority of vocal fold motion impairment cases are neurogenic, with the remainder mechanical in origin.
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Differential Diagnosis
Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Posterior Glottic Stenosis
Bilateral Crico-arytenoid Joint Fixation or Dislocation
Infiltrative Lesion
Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Definition of Paralysis Akinesia, palsy; loss of power of voluntary movement in a muscle through injury or disease of its nerve supply
(Stedman’s medical dictionary, 22nd ed.)
Injury to nerve supply to both vocal folds resulting in gross immobility
• Motor cortex, brain stem, vagus nerves or recurrent laryngeal nerves
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Etiology of Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility
Rosenthal (2007) Laryngoscope, 117(10).1864-1870
Rosenthal (2007) Laryngoscope, 117(10).1864-1870
Breakdown of Surgical Causes
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Clinical Presentation
Respiratory symptoms Shortness of breath
Stridor
Voice changes
Swallowing difficulties Dysphagia
Aspiration
Clinical Presentation
Respiratory symptoms
Voice changes
Swallowing difficulties
Timing of symptom onset Acute presentation stridor
Late presentation dysphonia (asthenia, loss of projection)
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History
Paralysis-Neurologic etiology Prior neck or chest surgery
Posterior Glottic Stenosis -Structural etiology Neck trauma Prolonged intubation Rheumatoid arthritis Granulomatous diseases
Cohen et al. (2006) Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 115(6):439-43
Physical Exam
General appearance Jaw thrust
Stridor
Dyspnea
Supraclavicular retractions
Perceptual Voice Evaluation
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Endoscopic Exam
Laryngoscopy/ Hypopharyngoscopy Decreased adduction/abduction Pooling of secretions Pharyngeal wall motion Masses, lesions, mucosal abnormalities
Videostroboscopy Glottic Closure Vibratory Parameters
Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
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Posterior Glottic Stenosis
Carcinoma
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Laryngeal EMG
Used to differentiate between structural and neuromuscular causes of vocal fold immobility
Paralysis EMG shows nerve injury Prognostic information on recovery
Posterior Glottic Stenosis or Joint Fixation/Dislocation EMG shows normal neuromuscular activity
Imaging
To evaluate course of recurrent laryngeal nerve
Base of skull to A-P window
CT
MRI
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Pulmonary Function Test
If PIF < 1.5 L/sec consider acute treatment
Direct Laryngoscopy
Palpation of cricoarytenoid joint If immobile suggestion of structural
involvement resulting in immobility
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Posterior Glottic Stenosis –Classification
Type 1 25% of patient Scaring between the vocal
process of the arytenoid
Posterior Glottic Stenosis –Classification
Type 1 Scaring between the vocal
process of the arytenoid
Type 2 - 25% of patient Scaring between the
upper bodies of the arytenoid
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Posterior Glottic Stenosis - Classification
Type 1 Scaring between the vocal
process of the arytenoid
Type 2 Scaring between the upper
bodies of the arytenoid
Type 3 – 50% of patients Scaring in the plane of the
CA joint
Management Considerations
Airway
Swallow
Voice
Intervention depends on Balance of functional needs
Patient preferences
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Treatment Options
Tracheotomy
Maximum inspiratory flow
Preserves voice quality
Can be temporary or permanent
Cons: stigma, trach care
Treatment Options
Glottis enlarging procedure – “the great compromise”
Temporary vs. definitive
Endoscopic vs. Open
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BVFP - Management Options
Laser cordotomy - Kashima
Partial arytenoidectomy –Crumley & Tucker
Total arytenoidectomy - Ossoff
Suture lateralization – Woodson and Lichtenberger
PGS – Management Options
Incision/Posterior micro-trapdoor flap with Mitomycin c application
Suture lateralization
Cordotomy or partial arytenoidectomy
Open resection Mucosal grafting
Cartilage grafting into cricoid
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Laser Cordotomy - Schematic
CO2 Laser Cordotomy
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Cordotomy with CO2 Laser Advantages
Relatively simple to perform Does not result in excessive exposure of
cartilage Can be performed bilaterally Minimal effect on swallowing
• A-E fold remains intact• Interarytenoidius function not interrupted
Disadvantage Permanent dsyphonia
Posterior micro-trapdoor flap
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Posterior micro-trapdoor flap
Posterior micro-trapdoor flap
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Posterior micro-trapdoor flap Advantages
Relatively simple to perform
Allows immediate assessment of return of passive cricoarytenoid motion
May result in immediate airway improvement
Disadvantage Will not work if CA joint is fibrotic
Reversible Temporary Management
Aforementioned treatments performed only after considerable amount of time from onset (6-12 months)
Spontaneous recovery in 40-86% of unilateral and bilateral vocal fold immobility cases—if recurrent nerves not transected
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Treatment Options
Intubation short period of time (hours to days)
Tracheotomy
Reversible laterofixation Lichtenberger 1st implemented procedure as
single temporary measure
Lichtenberger Needle Carrier
Lichtenberger G (1983). Laryngoscope 93:1348-1350.
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Reversible Suture Lateralization
BVFP- Pre-op Exam
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Post-op exam
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Experimental New Techniques
Laryngeal Pacing
Botulinum Toxin injection
Laryngeal Pacing
Functional neuromuscular stimulation of PCA during inspiration
Vocal folds passively relax to midline in expiration to phonate
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Botox
11 patients with bilateral vocal fold immobility treated with bilateral TA Botox injections
10 of 11 had symptomatic improvement and pursued repeat injections
Patient without relief had bilateral crico-arytenoid joint fixation
Complications limited to mild dysphagia to liquids
Ekbom DC et al. Laryngoscope. 2010 Apr;120(4):758-63.