Objectives: We investigated the value of laryngeal
electromyography (EMG) in monitoring patients with
vocal cord paralysis.
Patients and Methods: Cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid
muscles of 40 patients (10 females, 30 males; mean age 32
years; range 18 to 61 years) with vocal cord paralysis were
monitored with laryngeal electromyography. The patients
were divided into two groups according to time to presentation
after symptom onset, i.e. within 1-3 months (group 1;
n=14), and after at least 12 months (group 2; n=26).
Electromyography was repeated every three months in
group 1, and in the third and sixth months in group 2.
Results: Initial EMG examinations showed polyphasic
reinnervation potentials and partial axonal degeneration
in 21 laryngeal nerves in group 1. Recovery was
expected in these patients. Repeat EMGs revealed
normal findings in 17 laryngeal nerves, yielding a prognostic
estimation of 80.9% (17/21). In group 2, none of
the patients demonstrated polyphasic potentials or
motor unit potentials suggesting reinnervation on
admission. The earliest and latest recoveries were
observed in the fourth and eleventh months (mean 6.4
months) in group 1, respectively. However, group 2
patients were followed-up for at least 18 months after
the onset of their symptoms and none manifested clinical
and electrophysiologic improvement.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that EMG is a useful
technique in the estimation of prognosis of patients presenting
in the early period of vocal cord paralysis.
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Anahtar Kelimeler: Elektromiyografi; larenks hastalıkları;vokal kord paralizisi/tanı; ses hastalıkları/tanı.