Glossary of Terms
Arytenoid adduction:
A technique used to treat vocal cord paralysis
by suturing a laryngeal cartilage into position,
improving voice function and swallowing.
Botulinum toxin (botox)
injection: A potent neurotoxin used to weaken
the muscles of the vocal cord to treat dystonias,
specifically spasmodic dysphonia. This injection
can be given in the office with minimal discomfort.
Cidofovir injections:
A powerful antiviral injection used to prevent
the recurrence of laryngeal papilloma. This injection
can help patients with severe papillomatosis avoid
frequent surgery.
Endoluminal stents:
An expandable stent is placed in the windpipe
to ease narrowing and improve breathing. This
can be an alternative treatment for tracheal stenosis.
Injection medialization:
An office-based procedure where a physician injects
a substance into the voice box while utilizing
a telescope to visualize placement. Usually used
to treat a weakened voice box, this procedure
can quickly restore your voice with minimal discomfort.
The procedure often provides temporary relief
and patients may require follow-up treatment every
three to six months.
Laryngopharyngeal
reflux disease: The backflow of stomach acid
and other irritants through the esophagus and
into the throat. Symptoms include a dry cough,
hoarseness, chronic throat clearing and the constant
feeling that something is caught in your throat.
Reflux is a common cause of voice problems and
often requires aggressive treatment.
Laryngotracheoplasty:
Surgical reconstruction of the larynx or trachea
commonly used for high tracheal or laryngeal stenosis.
This procedure is often recommended for patients
that have suffered with airway narrowing for many
years.
Laser microsurgery:
Laser surgery procedure performed using magnification
and the precision of a surgical microscope. Many
benign and malignant vocal cord masses are treated
with this procedure.
Laser surgery:
A procedure that uses the precision of a laser
light source to remove diseased tissues or treat
bleeding blood vessels.
Major laryngeal reconstruction:
A technique used to reconstruct defects resulting
from damage to the hypopharynx or larynx in order
to restore breathing without a tracheostomy, allow
swallowing, and restore speech.
Microdissection:
To provide precise laryngeal surgery, surgeons
rely on accurate techniques and equipment. By
using operating microscopes or loupes, surgeons
are able to preserve delicate tissue.
Microsurgical reinnervation:
Restoration of nerve control to weakened or damaged
muscle by re-growth of nerve fibers through microsurgery.
New unaffected nerves are stitched to damaged
nerves or muscle using microsurgical techniques
with sutures that are finer than human hair.
Operating microscope:
A binocular microscope used to obtain good visualization
of fine structures in the operating field. Utilization
of the microscope allows surgeons to be preserve
the maximum amount of normal tissue.
Phonosurgery: A surgical
procedure involving manipulation of the larynx
cartilage to improve the voice or other laryngeal
functions. Often called thryroplasty, phonosurgery
includes a variety of techniques to improve the
voice, or raise or lower pitch. It can also be
used to treat some neurological voice disorders
such as vocal cord paralysis, tremor, or Parkinson's
hypophonia.
Selective denervation
and reinnervation for adductor spasmodic dysphonia:
A procedure that replaces affected nerves with
new nerves to eliminate the occurrence of spasms.
This treatment is an alternative to botox injections.
Type 1 Thyroplasty:
A surgical method of restoring vocal quality by
moving the vocal cord to the midline position
with an implant. This procedure is used for vocal
cord paralysis or weakness. See also phonosurgery.
Tracheal resection:
Surgical removal of the narrowed section of the
trachea to open the airway. This technique can
be done without the use of tracheotomy.
Tracheotomy: The
procedure of surgically creating an opening through
the neck into the trachea (windpipe). A tube is
placed through this opening (tracheostomy tube
also trach tube) to provide an airway, and to
allow removal of secretions from the lungs.
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