Treatment of Spasmodic Dysphonia by Means of Resection of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

Abstract

Over the last twelve years 44 patients suffering from spasmodic dysphonia have been seen at Huddinge hospital. There were 34 women and 10 men. 22 of these patients were for various reasons not regarded as candidates for surgery. The opposite applied to the remaining 22 patients. The outcome of a temporary nerve block guided us (the surgeons and the patients) whether to operate or not. 12 patients were thus operated upon by means of resection of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. The immediate post-operative result was excellent in 11 of 12 patients but the voice deteriorated in 4 patients. They had revision surgery with a successful result in 3 of them. Also the other 7 patients deteriorated to some extent but not to the degree that revision surgery was necessary. It is our hypothesis that recurrencies are caused by reinnervation of the sectioned nerve.

Key Words:

• Phonosurgery
• reinnervation
• revision