Thyroplasty with Montgomery (R) implant for unilateral laryngeal nerve paralysis.

Objectives: An analysis of thyroplasty with Montgomery(R) implant under loc al anesthesia for unilateral laryngeal nerve paralysis. Patients and method: An inception cohort of 21 patients was operated on wit h a minimum follow-up of 9 months. All patients had severe dysphonia and br eathlessness. Seven patients had aspiration with a non efficient cough. Results: The only adverse side effect was a subcutaneous cervical hematoma in one patient. Aspiration disappeared immediately after completion of the thyroplasty. Immediate improvement of speech, cough, and breathlessness was achieved in all patients. Over time, speech and voice remained stable in a ll patients. Recurrence of aspiration was not encountered. Conclusion: Such data supported the notion that the thyroplasty with Montgo mery(R) implant under local anesthesia is an extremely valuable option in p atients with unilateral laryngeal nerve paralysis. (C) 2001 Editions scient ifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.