Restoration of vocal fold movement via selective stimulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve with a Utah electrode array

Vocal fold paralysis is characterized by impairment of the nerve signals to one or both of the vocal folds. Signal propagation is most often compromised by surgery, trauma, disease, neuritis, and neck tumors. The location of the recurrent laryngeal nerve leaves it especially susceptible to injury during common neck and chest surgical procedures in which the nerves may be severed, crushed, or stretched. If the damage to the nerve during surgery is immediately recognized and repaired, the neurons usually regrow, but the regrowth is often random. This may lead to simultaneous activation of adductor and abductor muscles, which results in synkinesis.