Type I Gore-Tex Laryngoplasty for Glottic Incompetence in Mobile Vocal Folds

Objective To determine the effectiveness of gore-tex medialization thyroplasty for the management of glottic incompetence (GI) in patients with mobile vocal folds. Methods Twenty patients with glottic incompetence (GI) and mobile vocal folds were retrospectively analyzed after gore-tex medialization laryngoplasty. Pre- and postoperative outcome measures including grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain of the voice (GRBAS), glottal function index (GFI), and voice-related quality of life (VRQOL) were compared to detect surgical effectiveness. Two anesthetic subgroups were identified and compared: general anesthesia, via laryngeal mask airway (LMA) anesthetic, and local anesthesia. Results Statistically significant differences were identified between pre- and postoperative VRQOL (Pآ <آ 0.0001), GFI (Pآ <آ 0.01), and composite GRBAS (Pآ <آ 0.0001) after a mean follow-up time of 7.8 months. Both the LMA and the local anesthetic subgroups demonstrated similar significance across these measures. GFI and VRQOL scores demonstrate a moderate correlation (دپآ =آ 0.71). Perceptual voice quality (GRBAS) correlates slightly better with VRQOL scores (دپآ =آ âˆ’0.6; Pآ <آ 0.01) than qualitative measures of glottal function (GFI) (دپآ =آ 0.43). Conclusion Gore-tex thyroplasty provides reliable medium-term improvement in both perceptual and subjective voice parameters in the setting of GI with mobile vocal folds.