VFP, Cough, Reflux Flashcards
√What are 9 types of medications that can cause dysphonia/hoarseness, and how?
- ACE Inhibitors (cough)
- Anticoagulants (hemorrhage)
- Anticholinergics (dessicating/cause drying)
- Antipsychotics (dystonias)
- Bisphosphonates (chemical laryngitis)
- Diuretics (dessicating/cause drying)
- Inhaled steroids (mucosal irritation, fungal laryngitis)
- Testosterone/Danocrine (alters sex hormone levels, alters VF shape)
- Chemotherapy (Vincristine/Vinblastine - VF paralysis)
ITs AAAABCD
√List a complete differential for vocal fold paresis/parlaysis
IATROGENIC (24-26%)
- Cardiac Surgery
- PDA ligation
- Thyroid surgery
- Esophageal or thoracic surgery
- Prolonged intubation
TRAUMA
- Penetrating neck injury
AUTOIMMUNE/SYSTEMIC
- Sarcoidosis
- Rheumatoid arthirtiis
- Amyloidosis
- SLE
- Diabetes mellitus
INFECTIOUS
- Viral inflammation
- TB
- Sarcoidosis
- Lyme disease
- Syphillis
- EBV
NEOPLASTIC (Malignancy 25% - primary pulmonary and mediastinal adenopathy most commonly)
- Laryngeal malignancy
- Thyroid malignancy
- Lung carcinoma
- Anything along the course of the RLN
NEUROLOGIC
- Systemic: Stroke, MS, ALS, GBS
- Peripheral: Charcot-marie-tooth, Myasthenia Gravis
- Poliomyelitis
- Pseudobulbar palsy
- Wallenberg
- Arnold Chiari Malformation (most common in child)
MEDICATIONS:
- Neurotoxic medications: Vinka alkaloids (vincristine/vinblastine), streptomycin, quinine, lead
IDIOPATHIC (20%) - 70% will recover but may take 12 months
- Usually post-viral
OTHER:
- Thoracic aneurysm of cardiomegaly (Ortner syndrome)
What are possible surgical/iatrogenic causes of vocal fold paralysis? Name 7
- Thyroidectomy (5-10% RLN injury, 30% in revision)
- Skull base surgery
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (R>L)
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Coronary artery bypass grafting
- Esophagectomy
- Pulmonary resection
- Mediastinoscopy
- Intubation (pressure-induced neuropraxia from cuff in proximal subglottis)
What is Ortner’s Syndrome?
Cardiovocal Syndrome
Vocal fold paresis or paralysis caused by compression of the RLN due to a cardiovascular disorder.
Classically, this is a left RLN palsy due to compression of the nerve between the thoracic aorta and pulmonary arteries, due to left atrial dilation.
What are 6 FNL features of unilateral vocal fold paralysis secondary to RLN injury?
Changes that occur to the vocal fold after severing the RLN
- Variable fixed position (medial, paramedian, lateral) and/or immobile
- Jostle sign = passive medial movement of the affected cord during adduction due to absence of lateral tension from the denervated musculature
- Decreased length
- Decreased height
- Vocal fold atrophy and bowing (spindle)
- Ipsilateral arytenoid rotated/displaced anteriorly (prolapsed)
- Yellowing discoloration
What are long term changes in the paralyzed vocal fold? 4
- Muscle atrophy
- Anterior arytenoid displacement
- Pooling of secretions
- Shortened fold with lower position
MAPS
What is the Jostle Sign?
Jostle sign = passive medial movement of the affected cord during adduction due to absence of lateral tension from the denervated musculature
(And, lateral movement of the arytenoid on the immobile side during glottic closure due to contact from the mobile arytenoid)
If RLN is transected in surgery, why does it appear that the vocal fold is still moving on endoscopy?
- Bilateral innervation of inter-arytenoid muscle, but absence of lateral tension from the denervated musculature, causing slight medialization of the paralyzed fold on adduction
- SLN has neural input to the anterior 1/3 of the vocalis
- Jostle sign - brief lateral movement of the arytenoid on the immobile side during glottic closure due to contact from the mobile arytenoid
Outline a complete workup for vocal fold paralysis - 9
- Complete H&P
- Flexible laryngoscopy ± videostroboscopy
- Labs: CBC, fasting glucose, TSH, FTA-ABS (syphillis), Lyme titers, toxin screen (lead, arsenic)
- MBS and/or FEES (if suspicion of aspiration)
- Barium swallow (exclude esophageal mass, vascular compression, or aspiration)
- High resolution CT larynx (if suspicious of endolaryngeal pathology)
- CT or MRI skull base to upper chest
- CXR ± CT chest (rule out lung mass)
- Laryngeal EMG (only useful between 4-6 months for prognosticating recovery, but can be used earlier if suspect the arytenoid is stuck) - paralysis vs. fixation, RLN vs. SLN, myopathy vs. neuropathy
- MRI Brain and Neuro consult (if suspicion of central/neurologic cause)
What are 5 symptoms and 9 signs of unilateral Superior laryngeal nerve injury?
Symptoms:
1. Unstable pitch
2. Unable to reach higher pitches
3. Decreased range
4. Dysphagia/Aspiration (loss of laryngeal sensation to the supraglottis and glottis via internal branch)
5. Vocal fatigue
Signs:
1. Guttman’s Sign
2. Deviation of petiole to the side of weakness (60%)
3. Phase asymmetry between vocal folds
4. Axial rotation of the posterior commissure toward the normal side in 50% of patients with rapidly alternating “eee” and sniff maneuver
5. Asymmetric VF tension (bowed vocal folds)
6. Asymmetric VF height (inferior displacement)
7. “PPP” rule = posterior commissure points to paralyzed side in unilateral SLN paralysis
8. Pooling of secretions on ipsilateral side
9. Ipsilateral false VF adducted (compensatory)
Current literature provides no consensus for diagnosis of SLN paralysis based on laryngoscopy alone
What is the Guttman Test for testing Superior laryngeal nerve paralysis?
Normal Patient:
1. Frontal pressure on thyroid lowers
2. Lateral pressure raises pitch
Paralyzed Cricothyroid (e.g. SLN paralysis):
1. Frontal pressure raises pitch
2. Lateral pressure lowers pitch
*Presumably due to unopposed action of other normal cricothyroid deviating the larynx (no known explanation)
What are 3 factors that determine what a vocal fold position would be after vocal fold paralysis?
Generally the position in unpredictable and is dependent on the following factors:
1. Reinnervation/synkinesis
2. Residual innervation
3. Atrophy/fibrosis of the denervated muscle and not due to the level of the lesion
How can you differentiate RLN injury from vagal injury (RLN+SLN)? List endoscopic differences; what special tests (2) could you and what are their findings?
Endoscopic findings:
1. RLN injury: paramedian vocal fold position (cricothyroid action maintained, which helps adduct vocal fold) - implies lesion below the nodose ganglion
2. RLN + SLN injury: Lateral vocal fold position (loss of cricothyroid adduction)
Objective tests:
1. Laryngeal EMG
2. FEEST (Functional endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing)
FEEST:
- During FEEST, a puff of air is delivered to the supraglottic mucosa via a side port, and the presence of the laryngeal adductor reflex (LAR) is observed
- LAR: Glottic closure reflex, a mechanism of laryngeal protection, preventing material from inappropriately entering the upper airway
Degree of sensory impairment based on LAR:
1. Normal = LAR elicited at 3mmHg
2. Mild impairment: 6mmHg
3. Moderate impairment: 9mmHg
4. Severe impairment: No LAR at 9mmHg
Left and right sides are examined separately to determine the side of the lesion
What is the nerve or loop of Galen? What is the prevalence and what are 3 different ways it can present?
Galen’s Anastomosis is a connection between the internal branch of the SLN and RLN.
Occurs in 76.7% (n=890 hemilarynges)
- 92.3% single trunk
- 4.2% double trunk
- 3.5% plexus
What are 9 uses for laryngeal EMG?
- Intraoperative nerve monitoring
- Diagnose neurologic disorders (MG, ALS)
- Localization of lesion (RLN vs SLN, central vs. peripheral)
- Establish prognosis (correlate in 60-70% after 4 weeks)
- Biofeedback (e.g. injections for botox)
- Differentiate between paralysis and arytenoid fixation
- Evaluation of synkinesis
- Muscle localization for botox injections
- Help choose VC with worse neuromotor status for destructive procedures in bilateral VF palsy
What are common muscles tested in routine laryngeal EMG and their innervations?
Cricothyroid - SLN
Thyroarytenoid - RLN
Posterior cricoarytenoid - RLN
What are 3 different types of electrical activity seen on EMG?
- Insertional
- Spontaneous (fibrillation potentials or positive sharp waves = muscle irritability as it is denervating)
- Voluntary
In a patient with vocal fold immobility, what is the significance of the following findings on laryngeal EMG:
1. Normal
2. Fibrillation
3. Polyphasic potentials
- Normal - joint fixation
- Fibrillation - denervation (begins about 3 weeks)
- Polyphasic potentials (reinnervation and synkinesis - TA to PCA, or vise versa)
What are 3 elements of Laryngeal EMG analysis?
- Spontaneous activity - present or absent
- Recruitment - normal, reduced, or absent
- Motor unit morphology - normal/bi/triphasic, low amplitude, polyphasic, fibrillation
What are good prognostic laryngeal EMG findings?
- No spontaneous activity
- Some recruitment
- Normal/bi/triphasic or low amplitude polyphasic motor unit potentials
- First sign of regeneration
- Count the number of times the line crosses the baselines, >4 = abnormal polyphasic
What are poor prognostic laryngeal EMG findings? 5
- Presence of spontaneous activity
- No recruitment
- Fibrillation potentials
- Sharp waves
- Electrical silence
What is the optimal timing for laryngeal EMG?
Early use (< 3 months) has debatable prognostic benefit
4-6 months: Most helpful for prognostication of nerve injury recovery
Describe the classification of laryngeal EMG findings in laryngeal paralysis
CLASS I:
- Spontaneous activity: Absent
- Recruitment: Normal
- Motor unit morphology: Normal
- Interpretation: Normal
CLASS II:
- Spontaneous activity: Absent
- Recruitment: Reduced
- Motor unit morphology: Low-amplitude polyphasics
- Interpretation: Reinnervation
CLASS III:
- Spontaneous activity: Absent
- Recruitment: Reduced
- Motor unit morphology: Giant polyphasic units
- Interpretation: Old injury
CLASS IV:
- Spontaneous activity: Present
- Recruitment: Reduced
- Motor unit morphology: Polyphasic units
- Interpretation: Equivocal
CLASS V:
- Spontaneous activity: Present
- Recruitment: None
- Motor unit morphology: Fibrillations, positive sharp waves
- Interpretation: Denervation
Vancouver Pg 178
If on laryngeal exam you discover VF immobility but EMG shows normal voluntary electrical activity, discuss 3 possibilities
- Cricoarytenoid joint fixation (ankylosis)
- Fibrous scar formation
- Laryngeal synkinesis
- (or too early after injury)
List 6 different treatment options for unilateral vocal fold paralysis.
- Observation (chance of spontaneous recovery up to 12 months)
- Voice therapy
- Compensatory swallowing strategies if needed
- Injection laryngoplasty (percutaneous, transoral, laryngoscopy)
- Medialization thyroplasty (+/- arytenoid adduction)
- Laryngeal reinnervation (e.g. ansa to RLN, or hypoglossal transfer; neuromuscular pedicle - LCA/TA (tone) or PCA (improve airway))
What drug can be used in acute uniliateral vocal fold paralysis?
Nimodipine (calcium channel blocker that prevents vasospasm)
- Thought to reduce cellular apoptosis after neuronal injury and promote axonal sprouting at the nodes of Ranvier
- Meta-analysis showed increased odds of vocal fold motion recovery and facial motion recovery when used perioperatively
What are the 4 types of thyroplasty / classification of laryngeal framework procedures ? What is the name of this classification?
Isshiki Classification of Laryngeal Framework Surgery:
1. Type 1: Medialization thyroplasty
2. Type 2: Vocal fold lateralization (e.g. in BVFP, adductor SD)
3. Type 3: VF shortening/relaxing (ie. decreasing pitch)
4. Type 4: VF Lengthening/tensing (ie. increasing pitch, such as in M to F gender affirmation)
What are the indications for Type I Isshiki medialization thyroplasty? (5)
- Paralysis - glottic incompetence with dysphonia, poor cough, and aspiration
- Skull base surgery - high vagal paralysis
- Atrophy - presbyphonia
- Sulcus (difficult to treat)
- Scarring
What are the contraindications for Type I Isshiki medialization thyroplasty? (9)
- Immunodeficiency
- Coagulopathy
- Neoplasm
- Previous teflon
- Previous surgery or trauma (relative)
- Previous XRT
- Potential for recovery
- Poor contralateral abduction
- Poor pulmonary function
“I C Nadia Pee x 6”
What are 3 temporary and 5 permanent vocal fold implant material options
Temporary:
1. Hyaluronic acid (Restylane)
2. Carboxymethylcellulose (Prolaryn, Radiesse Voice Gel)
3. Calcium Hydroxyapatite (Prolaryn Plus, Radiesse Voice)
Permanent:
1. Silastic
2. Dense Hydroxylapatite (VoCoM = “Vocal cord Medialization” brand)
3. Gore-Tex
4. Teflon (no longer used due to granuloma formation)
5. Fat
6. Titanium
7. Prefabricated implamts (montgomy silicone implant)
How do you place your thyroid cartilage window for a Type 1 Thyroplasty?
7-5-3 Mnemonic:
7 = 7mm from midline in men
5 = 5mm from midline in women
3 = 3mm above the inferior border of the thyroid cartilage (parallel to border)
*Along a plane parallel to a line between the inferior border of the thyroid artilage and the upper notch of the inferior cornu
*At most up to midpoint of thyroid cartilage
Window size = 6 x 13mm
a. Hydroxylapatite (VoCoM) 6x10mm
b. Silastic (Montgomery) 6x13mm
Kevan Page 15
Ross Lecture
What are the Top 3 reasons for failure of TYpe I Isshiki medialization thyroplasty? What is most common? Can you name 3 others?
- Implant too high (most common)
- Implant too anterior
- Under-correction of the glottic gap posteriorly (consider arytenoid adduction with a posterior gap >4mm)
Others:
1. Extrusion of implant
2. Infection of implant
3. Hematoma
When is an arytenoid adduction typically performed and how does it work? List 5 physiologic effects that result from arytenoid adduction.
Performed in conjunction with medialization thyroplasty - suture from the muscular process of the arytenoid (do it anteriorly through the thyroplasty window)
Function:
- Traction on arytenoid at muscular process
- Mimics action of lateral cricoarytenoid (LCA)
Physiologic effects:
1. Lowers position of vocal process (decreases difference in height)
2. Medializes and stabilizes vocal process
3. Stiffens the vocal process
4. Lengthens vocal fold
5. Rotates arytenoid cartilage (decreases the abnormal rotation)
“LOWERS”
S: Stiffness
M: Medializes
A: Abnormal rotation decrease
L: Lengthens
L: Lowers
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