Medic-All 〉 Voice center, Taichung VGH

Voice center, Taichung VGH

This is a novel application using laryngeal EMG signals to guide the injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) into the muscle of a paralyzed vocal fold in order to improve the glottal closure and voice of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Compared with conventional vocal fold injection via laryngoscope guidance, our innovation involves performing vocal fold injection with injectable needle electrode which avoids airway irritation induced by laryngoscopy monitoring. The injectable needle electrode localizes the muscle of the paralyzed vocal fold by detecting abnormal EMG signals. The existence of abnormal EMG signals such as fibrillations when the patient is silent or variable recruitment reduction when the patient phonates a vowel also helps to predict the prognosis of vocal fold motion recovery. This innovative strategy is a simple but effective treatment, which allows prediction of prognosis and routine collection of EMG data for further clinical research on UVFP in one shot.

Ming-Hong Chang / Chief
1.Chief, Neurological Institute, TCVGH 2.Professor, National Yang-Ming University 3.Director, Taiwan Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
Chen-Chi Wang / Chief
1.Chief, Section of Laryngology&Head Neck Surgery, TCVGH 2.Associate Professor, YM University 3.Secretary General, Asia Oceania Association of Otorhinolaryngological Societies
Yi-Hsuan Lo
Speech pathologist