Clinical Application of Electromyography in Vocal Fold Mobility Disorders

Abstract

Some salient problems concerning the diagnosis and prognosis of vocal fold mobility disturbances are briefly outlined. The application of laryngeal electromyography in such cases is recommended. A brief review of EMG findings in the normal and diseased neuro-muscular system is given. In the present study electromyographic investigations of the laryngeal muscles were made of 13 patients (5 males and 8 females) with ages ranging from 22 to 70 years. Their clinical diagnoses included a variety of etiological factors. The posterior crico-arytenoid, thyro-arytenoid and crico-thyroid muscles were routinely examined. A method for the performance of these tests, in the form of an initial sitting and repeated follow-up control studies, is given. The clinical versus EMG findings are analysed. The criteria of neuropathic changes in laryngeal electromyograms are described and their significance is discussed.