STRIPPING OF THE VOCAL CORDS

Abstract

The common observation that after laryngofissure tissue replacement produced a structure which objectively looked not unlike a true vocal cord led me in 1932 to studies of cat larynxes.¹I felt that if this regeneration or reformation took place following such an extensive procedure as laryngofissure, it was reasonable to expect complete replacement after a much less formidable operation. With this in mind, a series of experiments were performed on cats: On the basis of these experiments it seemed permissible to state that after removal of a vocal cord structural regeneration would produce a new cord. Grossly, it was impossible to distinguish between the normal and the regenerated cord. Functionally, the results were satisfactory, provided that the basic principle of insuring that a straight free edge would be left after operation was adhered to. The importance of this has been proved by the practical results obtained in