In vitro effect of ventriculocordectomy before laryngoplasty on abduction of the equine arytenoid cartilage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ventriculocordectomy (VCE) performed before prosthetic laryngoplasty (PL) results in increased rima glottidis size compared with PL alone. STUDY
DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Equine cadaver larynges (n=13).
METHODS: Right arytenoid cartilages were maximally abducted using a standard PL technique. Standard PLs were then performed on the left side and the force required to maximally abduct the left arytenoid cartilage recorded (F(max) ). Photographs were taken of the rima glottidis at zero force and at five equal levels of force up to F(max) . The force applied was released, left VCE performed, and photographs repeated. Arytenoid left:right angle quotients (LRQ) and glottic cross-sectional area ratios (CSAR) were calculated at each force level in each condition (PL and VCE-PL).
RESULTS: Mean LRQ and CSAR for both PL and VCE-PL increased with increasing force, initially rapidly before plateauing at ~50% of F(max) . LRQ and CSAR were significantly greater for VCE-PL than for PL (P<.001). When VCE was performed before PL, 12% less force was required to achieve an LRQ of 0.8, and 45% less for a CSAR of 0.8.
CONCLUSIONS: In vitro, VCE performed before PL enables the arytenoid cartilage to be abducted to a greater degree for a given PL suture force. © Copyright 2011 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.