Intracordal autologous fat injection for aspiration after recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis

The present prospective study was designed to analyze the results achieved with intracordal autologous fat injection for aspiration in a series of 20 patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Swallowing was documente d by having each patient swallow pureed food colored with methylene blue du ring nasofibroscopy. No laryngeal adverse effects were associated with the intracordal injection of fat. One patient developed an abdominal hematoma a t the donor site. The intracordal injection of autologous fat after 1 year resulted in an 85% successful rehabilitation of swallowing. One of the thre e patients who failed the initial rehabilitation of swallowing was managed successfully with reinjection of autologous fat, resulting in a 90% definit ive successful rehabilitation of swallowing. In all patients, speech and vo ice were immediately improved after the intracordal injection of autologous fat. Objective acoustic recordings documented the improvement in selected speech and voice parameters when compared with pretreatment data. Our prese nted experience shows that the intracordal autologous fat injection is a sa fe and valuable treatment option in patients with aspiration after recurren t laryngeal nerve paralysis.