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The effect of patient age on the success of laryngeal reinnervation

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
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Abstract

The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of patient age on the efficacy of laryngeal reinnervation with ansa cervicalis in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) patients. We retrospectively reviewed 349 consecutive UVFP cases of laryngeal reinnervation with ansa cervicalis to the recurrent laryngeal nerve anastomosis. Preoperative and postoperative videostroboscopy, perceptual evaluation, acoustic analysis, maximum phonation time (MPT) and laryngeal electromyography (EMG) data were collected. Gender, age, preoperative EMG status [preoperative voluntary motor unit recruitment (VMUR)] and denervation duration were analyzed in previous multivariable logistic regression analysis. Stratification analysis was performed on patient age in the present study. All patients were divided into four groups according to their age: Group A included patients with an age less than 30 years; Group B, 30–44 years; Group C, 45–59 years; Group D, ≥60 years. Stratification analysis on patient age showed significant differences between Group A and D, Group B and D, Group C and D (P < 0.05), but no significant difference between Group A and B, Group A and C, Group B and C (P > 0.05), respectively, with regard to parameters including glottal closure, overall grade, shimmer, noise-to-harmonics ratio; but there are no significant differences among the four groups with regard to jitter. However, for MPT and postoperative VMUR, there are significant differences among the four groups expect between Group A and B. In addition, glottal closure, perceptual and acoustic parameters, MPT values and VMUR data, were significantly improved postoperatively in each age group (P < 0.01). The data from this study indicate that patient age is an influential factor of the surgical outcome of laryngeal reinnervation for UVFP patients. Laryngeal reinnervation is less effective when patient age is more than 60 years.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grant Nos. 81170899, 81100724 for science research from National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no other financial relationships, or conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Meng Li, Donghui Chen, Xianmin Song, Wei Wang, Minhui Zhu, Fei Liu, Yan Li, Shicai Chen & Hongliang Zheng

  2. Center for Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of Chinese PLA, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Shicai Chen

Authors
  1. Meng Li
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  2. Donghui Chen
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  3. Xianmin Song
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  4. Wei Wang
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  5. Minhui Zhu
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  6. Fei Liu
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  7. Yan Li
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  8. Shicai Chen
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  9. Hongliang Zheng
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Shicai Chen or Hongliang Zheng.

Additional information

M. Li, D. Chen, and X. Song contributed equally to this research.

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Li, M., Chen, D., Song, X. et al. The effect of patient age on the success of laryngeal reinnervation. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 271, 3241–3247 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3091-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3091-6

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