Comparative study of vocal outcomes with silicone versus Gore-Tex thyroplasty.

OBJECTIVES: We examined vocal outcomes of patients who underwent type I thyroplasty for unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Specifically, the vocal outcomes were compared between 15 patients whose thyroplasties were performed with silicone and 15 patients whose thyroplasties were performed with Gore-Tex.

METHODS: The examined clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between the groups. The vocal outcomes were evaluated by aerodynamic and acoustic measurements.

RESULTS: Aerodynamic examination indicated significant postoperative improvements in the maximum phonation time and mean flow rate in both groups. Shimmer was significantly improved only in the Gore-Tex group. A direct comparison between groups showed no significant difference in the degree of improvement of the vocal parameters, except for a significant improvement in the noise-to-harmonics ratio in the Gore-Tex group. The duration of surgery was significantly less in the Gore-Tex group than in the silicone group.

CONCLUSIONS: Gore-Tex thyroplasty is considered to be comparable to silicone thyroplasty in terms of postoperative vocal outcomes. Gore-Tex thyroplasty enables a less invasive procedure with a shorter surgical duration and easier adjustment of medialization due to its flexibility.