OBJECTIVETo study the effect of denervating duration on the surgical outcome of laryngeal reinnervation in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).

METHODSThe charts of 467 consecutive patients with UVFP were reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative and postoperative data, including videostroboscopy, perceptual evaluation of voice (GRBAS scale), acoustic analysis, maximum phonation time (MPT) and laryngeal reinnervation were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify possible influential factors including the age of patient, gender, degree of nerve injury and duration of nerve injury. Then stratification analysis was performed on the variable-duration of nerve injury, to study how the duration of nerve injury could affect the surgical outcome of laryngeal reinnervation.

RESULTSMultivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the age of patient, degree of nerve injury and duration of nerve injury were significant variables. Stratification analysis on duration of nerve injury demonstrated that in each subgroup postoperative data were significantly improved. When compared among the three subgroups, postoperative data in group with a duration of 6-12 months and group with a duration 12-24 months were significantly better than group with a duration more than 24 months. However, there were no significant differences between group with a duration of 6-12 months and 12-24 months.

CONCLUSIONSurgical outcome of laryngeal reinnervation is better in patients those with a duration of nerve injury less than 2 years than in those with a duration of nerve injury more than 2 years.