TRANSORAL TEFLON INJECTION UNDER FLEXIBLE LARYNGOVIDEOSTROBOSCOPY FORUNILATERAL VOCAL FOLD PARALYSIS

Intracordal Teflon injection is a widely accepted method for the treat ment of glottic incompetence due to unilateral vocal fold paralysis. I t can be performed transorally via direct or indirect laryngoscopy, as well as transcutaneously under laryngovideoscopy. However, these proc edures still have their disadvantages. The technique we introduce is t o perform the procedure transorally while using a curved injection nee dle under flexible laryngovideostroboscopic monitoring. With topical a nesthesia, the patient can phonate naturally during the procedure. The surgeon can visualize the needle and injection site clearly under hig h-resolution flexible laryngovideostroboscopy. Stroboscopic examinatio n during surgery enables the surgeon to monitor the improvement of voc al fold vibration. Twenty consecutive patients treated with this techn ique were studied. The preliminary results are satisfactory. The techn ique we introduce is an outpatient procedure with high applicability a nd low morbidity. This technique is a good, cost-effective alternative to standard operative direct laryngoscopy with injection.