Long-term treatment outcome of type 1 thyroplasty using novel titanium medialization laryngoplasty implant combined with arytenoid adduction for unilateral vocal cord paralysis: single-arm interventional study at a single institution

Objective: To evaluate the long-term treatment outcome of type 1 thyroplasty with novel rearrangeable titanium medialization laryngoplasty implant (TMLI) combined with arytenoid adduction (AA) for unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVFP) in the authors' institution. Methods: A total of 16 Japanese patients with UVFP who received type 1 thyroplasty using TMLI with arytenoid adduction was enrolled in this single-arm, non-randomized interventional study. The results of the auditory perceptual assessment, aerodynamic examination, acoustic measurement, and patient-based survey on these patients were evaluated preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results: Type 1 thyroplasty using TMLI with arytenoid adduction for our patient series presented significant improvements in maximum phonation time, mean flow rates, GRBAS scale, the Voice Handicap Index and the Voice-Related Quality of Life score over the 12-month postoperative period. Conclusion: Type 1 thyroplasty using TMLI with arytenoid adduction was quite effective for obtaining satisfactory postoperative voice improvement without any surgical complication over the long-term period.