Laryngeal framework surgery: a proposal for classification and nomenclature by the Phonosurgery Committee of the European Laryngological Society

Abstract

Laryngeal framework surgery, developed by Isshiki in the 1970s, is one of the most dynamic areas of phonosurgery and these procedures have served to considerably widen our spectrum and options for surgical improvement and/or changing of voice. As these techniques became more accepted and became common throughout the world, several new surgical modifications and different terms have been introduced. These new developments have lead to a confusion regarding terminology and types which make it difficult to communicate between and to compare the results of different authors. In an effort to create a more precise and descriptive list of definitions and terms, the Phonosurgery Committee of the European Laryngological Society has developed a new terminology for laryngeal framework surgery. In accordance with the concept of Isshiki, four types can be separated according to the intended purpose of the surgery:

– Approximation laryngoplasty: medialization thyroplasty, arytenoid adduction

– Expansion laryngoplasty: lateralization thyroplasty, vocal fold abduction

– Relaxation laryngoplasty: shortening thyroplasty

– Tensioning laryngoplasty: cricothyroid approximation, elongation thyroplasty

The proposed terms are functionally oriented and related closely to the intended purpose of the procedure or related to the underlying pathogenesis of the dysphonia. This new classification should provide a general framework suited not only to classify the current techniques but also to easily apply and adapt to include new procedures and future developments as necessary.