Unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Case series and literature review

• Grant number: 25/03423-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Regina Helena Garcia Martins
• Grantee: Laysa Santos Syrillo de Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction: Vocal fold paralysis, unilateral or bilateral, results from involvement of the vagus nerve and its recurrent laryngeal branches, due to neurological, traumatic, surgical/iatrogenic, compressive, infectious or idiopathic causes. Diagnosis is clinical and videolaryngoscopic. Treatments include speech therapy, injectable laryngoplasty, thyroplasty and reinnervation. Objectives: 1. To present epidemiological data of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis treated at a university hospital; 2. To present a descriptive review of the updated literature on current treatments. Methodology: analysis of medical records of patients treated at the Voice Disorders Outpatient Clinic of the Hospital das Clínicas of the Botucatu School of Medicine in the last 10 years with a diagnosis of unilateral vocal fold paralysis, analyzing age, sex, smoking, onset, type and progression of symptoms, treatment, videolaryngostroboscopic findings, etiology and imaging exams. Data will be presented in tables and submitted to statistical analysis. For the literature review, an active search will be performed in the PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science databases, with the following descriptors: [laryngeal paralysis OR unilateral vocal fold paralysis OR laryngeal immobility OR palsy vocal fold OR laryngeal nerve injury OR vocal fold paralysis OR vocal cord dysfunction OR recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries OR Dysphonia OR voice disorders] AND [treatment, type I thyroplasty, voice therapy, medialization thyroplasty, Heshiki thyroplasty, injectable laryngoplasty, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyapatite, fat, reinnervation]. The information will be presented descriptively, highlighting the most effective and current treatments.