Bilateral selective laryngeal reinnervation in patients with bilateral vocal cord palsy.

OBJECTIVE: Bilateral selective reinnervation of the larynx aims to restore both vocal cord tone and abductor movements in patients with bilateral vocal cord palsy.

METHODS: Four females and one male treated by bilateral selective reinnervation of the larynx were included in the present study. In all cases, both posterior cricoarytenoid muscles were reinnervated using the C3 right phrenic nerve root through the great auricular nerve graft, while adductor muscle tone was bilaterally restored using the thyrohyoid branches of the hypoglossal nerve through transverse cervical nerve grafts.

RESULTS: After a minimum follow-up of 48 months, all patients were successfully tracheostomy free and had recovered normal swallowing. At laryngoscopy, the first patient recovered a left unilateral partial abductor movement, the second had complete bilateral abductor movements, the third did not show improvements of abductor movements, but symptomatology was improved, the fourth recovered partial bilateral abductor movements and the fifth case did not show improvements and needed posterior cordotomy.

CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral selective laryngeal reinnervation, although a complex surgical procedure, offers a more physiologic recovery in the treatment of bilateral vocal fold paralysis. Selection criteria still needs to be precisely defined to avoid unexpected failures.