Intracordal Injection of Teflon® in the Treatment of 135 Patients with Dysphonia

TLDR

Paralytic dysphonia is mainly a mechanical issue that requires moving the paralyzed vocal cord to the midline for effective glottic closure, and intracordal Teflon® injection is now the preferred treatment. The study reviews 135 patients who received intracordal Teflon® injections over five years. Eighty‑one percent of patients achieved a normal solid phonatory voice, 96% improved by at least one step, pure laryngeal paralysis was almost always restored to normal voice, and aspiration was reduced or eliminated in most cases except when severe scarring or multiple deficits were present.

Abstract

The correction of paralytic dysphonia is primarily a mechanical problem requiring movement of the paralyzed vocal cord to the midline so that the functioning cord can meet it and effectively close the glottis. Intracordal Teflon® injection is now the treatment of choice. This paper reviews 135 patients who received Teflon® injections of the vocal cord during the last five years. Eighty-one percent of the patients with dysphonia recovered a normal solid phonatory voice and 96% were clinically improved at least one step. Pure laryngeal paralysis was virtually always improved, usually to a normal phonatory voice. Although some patients with hoarseness after surgical or blunt trauma were improved, the results were not as consistent. Aspiration was decreased or eliminated in the majority of patients unless there was too much laryngeal scarring to permit vocal cord repositionment or unless multiple cranial nerve or cerebellum deficits were present.