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Patient-Centered Care in Vocal Fold Paralysis: What Really Matters?

  • LARYNGOLOGY: Management of Vocal Cord Paralysis (D Chhetri and JL Long, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Literature review of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures after surgical intervention for unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).

Recent Findings

The majority of studies focus on resolution of dysphonia, dyspnea, and dysphagia, while few studies focus on psychosocial dimensions. Overall, voice-related PRO measures improve after all interventions; however, they do not normalize to pre-UVFP levels, as issues remain with singing, loud speech, and high-vocal-demand activities. All voice-related PRO measures have comparable improvement across all interventions. Dyspnea symptoms are common after UVFP; however, studies evaluating dyspnea-related PRO measures are not. Symptoms improve after interventions, but do not fully resolve in activities with high physical demand. All dysphagia-related PRO measures are associated with improvement after all types of interventions. Patient-reported symptoms, diet advancement, and decline in prevalence of aspiration are achieved in the majority of patients, though persistent diet modification and compensatory strategies continue to be employed by most.

Summary

UVFP interventions result in meaningful patient-reported improvements in voice, breathing, and swallow aspects, though do not normalize to pre-UVFP levels. Further PRO measure studies are needed to improve patient-centered care for UVFP.

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Funding

SM is supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (K23DC016335) and American College of Surgeons/Triological Society. The contents herein reflect the opinions of the authors and not the funding entities.

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  1. Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE, MMC 396, Minneapolis, MN, 55545, USA

    Raluca Gray & Stephanie Misono

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Gray, R., Misono, S. Patient-Centered Care in Vocal Fold Paralysis: What Really Matters?. Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep 9, 345–364 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40136-021-00358-2

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