Medialization Thryroplasty with a Customized Silicone Implant: Clinical Experience

The authors implemented medialization thyroplasty with a customized silicone implant in a total of 43 operations (36 patients) in 1999-2003. In 5 of these patients, the medialization thyroplasty was combined with cricothyroid subluxation (3 cases) or adduction of arytenoid cartilage (3 cases). One patient received medialization thyroplasty, cricothyroid subluxation & adduction of arytenoid cartilage. Postoperatively 36 patients reported substantial reduction of their complaints, 5 patients found their voice improved & only 2 patients (5.6%) stated that their voice had not changed. The subjective evaluation was consistent with the findings of laryngoscopy & the preoperative & postoperative phonation parameters (maximum phonation time, maximum sound pressure level, jitter & shimmer). Average maximum phonation time was 6.5 s before surgery & 12.5 s after surgery. Maximum vocal sound pressure level was, on average, about 4 dB higher after surgery. Jitter was reduced from 5.3 to 3.7% & shimmer from 32.3 to 18.6%. The differences between presurgical & postsurgical parameters in our study were all statistically significant, indicating voice improvement. Medialization thyroplasty with a silicone implant was proven to be a successful & safe surgical method for the treatment of vocal fold paralysis. Adapted from the source document