GREGORY S. WEINSTEIN, MD; NATASHA MIRZA, MD; MOHAMMAD EL-SAWY, MD; CESAR RUIZ, MA; ARA CHALIAN, MD
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

DANIEL BRASNU, MD; OLLIVIER LACCOURREYE, MD
PARIS, FRANCE

Classically, the formation of a mucosal wave is dependent upon the pliable mucosa present in the vocal fold. The supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy is an organ preservation technique in which both true cords, both false cords, both paraglottic spaces, and the entire thyroid cartilage is resected. The functional goal is speech and swallowing without a permanent tracheostomy. In an effort to further study voice production in these patients, laryngeal stroboscopy was performed in 5 patients. Analysis was performed with a modified Bless Grading System. The key finding in this study was the presence of a mucosal wave on the anterior aspect of the arytenoid, where it abuts the epiglottic cartilage. The clinical implication of the study is that laryngeal stroboscopy may be a useful tool in the functional rehabilitation of these patients. The theoretical implication of this study is that the arytenoid mucosa, following supracricoid partial laryngectomy, has the required fundamental characteristics for mucosal wave formation. Future studies are warranted.