Videolaryngostroboscopy following vertical partial laryngectomy

Phonation after partial laryngeal ablative surgery has not often been exami ned. Videolaryngostroboscopic recordings made after vertical partial laryng ectomy (VPL) were retrospectively reviewed and correlated with patient hist orical and operative factors. Among VPL patients (n = 42), the most common site of vibration during phonation was the contralateral false vocal fold ( 17/42 patients or 40.5%), followed by the contralateral arytenoid mucosa (1 0/42 or 23.8%) and the contralateral true vocal fold (8/42 patients or 19.0 %). There was no overall difference in vocal quality judgment with respect to site of vibration (ANOVA, p = .373). Vocal quality scores were similar w ith use of the pyriform mucosal flap versus other reconstructive methods (S tudent's t-test, p = .568). This study highlights the fact that reconstruct ion of a new vibratory source after VPL is important for voice production. Because VPL patients infrequently demonstrated true vocal fold vibration, a lternative sites (ie, false vocal fold, arytenoid mucosa) must be considere d as new phonatory sources after VPL.