Difficulties and complications of using endo-extralaryngeal laterofixation of vocal cords in bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy

• Published in: Medicinski pregled Vol. 61 Suppl 2; pp. 51 - 56
• Main Authors: Jović, Rajko M, Mitrović, Slobodan, Janjević, Dusica, Dragicević, Danijela, Canji, Karol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Croatian; Serbian
• Published: Serbia 2008
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures - adverse effects; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures - methods; Suture Techniques; Vocal Cord Paralysis - etiology; Vocal Cord Paralysis - surgery; Vocal Cords - surgery
• ISSN: 0025-8105

The aim of this study is to show our experience in using the endo-extralaryngeal laterofixation of vocal cords in treatment of bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, and to point out the difficulties and complications of this procedure and the ways of their managing.
During the period from 2003 to 2006, 14 patients with bilateral palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve were treated with method of Lichtenberger's endo-extra laryngeal laterofixation of the vocal cord The patients were 12 female and 2 male from 26 to 78 (average 57.4) years old. The earliest intervention was performed 8 day after the onset of paresis and not later than 40 days.
In 11/14 (78.6%) of the patients bilateral palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve occured as a result of thyroid gland surgery. At the admission 2 (14.3%) patients had tracheostomy while 12 (85.7%) had no tracheostomy. Edema was the most often complication of the endo extra laryngeal laterofixation and it appeared in 8/14 (57.1%) patients. The earliest swelling of the laryngeal tissue was recorded on the first postoperative day and the latest one started 7 days after the intervention. Edema developed in 7/11 (63.6%) after total thyreoidectomy, in 1/3 (33.3%) with traumatic injuries in the neck Because of progression of the edema which provoked narrowing of the airway at the laryngeal level tracheostoma was peformed in 2 patients. Inflammation of laryngeal tissue with sudden obstruction of the airway resulted in death in one patient. Malposition of the thread toward the midle part of the vocal cord happened very often if intervention was not performed in JET ventilation anesthesia. The vocal card function was repaired bilaterally in 2 patients and unilaterally in 1 patient (the total being 3 out of 14 patients, i.e. 21.4%) four months after the laterofixation, and the threads were removed. Lung functional test showed the increase in average value PEF% from 26.53 before to 39.43 after laterofixation, and PIF from 0.83 before to 1.19 after intervention. Resistance R% in the upper airway decreased from the average 257.95 as before to 215.83 after the intervention, while the index FEV1.0/PEF (ml/L/min) remained almost the same before 13.25 and after the intervention 13.50 and that showed that the upper airway obstruction, in spite of good clinical tolerance by the patients, still persisted in all patients after the laterofixation.
Lichtenberger's endo-extra laryngeal laterofixation of the vocal cord is a good alternative method for bilateral palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve which provide sufficient upper airway without tracheostomy.