Key Points Laryngeal trauma is rare (1 : 137,000) but acutely life-threatening, and if not promptly recognized and treated, it can cause significant long-term morbidity. External laryngeal trauma is blunt or penetrating. Internal trauma is most commonly due to translaryngeal intubation but…
Key Points Intractable aspiration results in chronic soilage of the lower respiratory tract and life-threatening pulmonary infections. In adult patients, cerebrovascular accident with subsequent lower cranial nerve palsies is the most common cause of intractable aspiration; other causes include neuromuscular…
Key Points Ideal rehabilitation of unilateral vocal fold paralysis would involve restoration of vocal fold movement, position, bulk, and tone. Complete recovery from unilateral paralysis can only happen now through the spontaneous and appropriate regeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerve…
Key Points Arytenoid adduction mimics the action of the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle to internally rotate the arytenoid to close the glottis. Arytenoid adduction is indicated for the treatment of laryngeal incompetence in patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis. Arytenoid adduction can…
Key Points Both medialization thyroplasty and vocal fold injection can be used successfully to manage glottal insufficiency associated with unilateral vocal fold motion impairment, vocal fold bowing, and soft tissue deficits. The choice of procedure, medialization thyroplasty or vocal fold…
Key Points Understanding the differences between the immunologic response of the laryngopharynx to pathogenic versus environmental stimuli will likely be critical as we better our understanding of diseases such as allergy, reflux, and malignancy. The most common causes of acute…
Key Points The two most common risks for vocal fold mucosal vibratory injury are a high intrinsic tendency to use the voice (talkativeness, extroversion) and a high extrinsic opportunity or necessity to use the voice, driven by occupation, family needs,…
Key Points Laser technology has allowed for enhanced surgical treatment for a wide variety of otolaryngology indications, including those in otology, laryngology, bronchoesophagology, and facial plastic surgery. Every surgeon should have basic knowledge of laser physics and laser-tissue interactions to…
Key Points Management of patients with voice disorders is most effectively performed by a multidisciplinary team that includes a laryngologist, a speech-language pathologist, and a vocal pedagogue. All patients with voice disorders receive the same level of care regardless of…
Key Points Neurologic disorders of the larynx may be focal diseases or local manifestations of systemic disorders. Characteristic deficiencies found on clinical examination may aid in ascertaining the site of a lesion. Hyperfunctional disorders include dystonia, myoclonus, essential tremor, stuttering,…