Injection Laryngoplasty for Children with Dysphagia after Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether injection laryngoplasty (IL) resolves thin liquid aspiration among children with unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP) after cardiac surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control.

SETTING: Tertiary children's hospital.

METHODS: Consecutive children (<5 years) between 2012 and 2022 with UVCP after cardiac surgery were included. Resolution of thin liquid aspiration after IL versus observation was determined for children obtaining videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS).

RESULTS: A total of 32 children with left UVCP after cardiac surgery met inclusion. Initial surgeries were N = 9 (28%) patent ductus arteriosus ligations, N = 7 (22%) aortic arch surgeries, N = 9 (28%) surgeries for hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and N = 7 (22%) other cardiac surgeries. The mean age at initial surgery was 1.8 months (SD: 3.7). All children had a VFSS obtained after surgery that confirmed aspiration. There were 17 children that obtained an IL at 33.6 months (SD: 20.9) after cardiac surgery and 15 children observed without IL procedure. No surgical complications after IL were noted. The rate of aspiration resolution based on postoperative VFSS was N = 14 (82%) for the IL group and N = 9 (60%) for the control group P  = .24. Documented VFSS aspiration resolution after cardiac surgery occurred by 9.6 months (SD: 10.0) in the observation group and 47.4 months (SD: 24.1) in the IL group ( P  < .001).

CONCLUSION: IL can help treat aspiration in children with UVCP after cardiac surgery but the benefit beyond observation remains unclear. Future studies should continue to explore the utility for IL in managing dysphagia in this pediatric population.