VOCAL CORD LATERALIZATION AND MEDIALIZATION DEVICE AND METHOD

摘要

A device and method to lateralize, or alternatively medialize, the vocal cord is described that is adjustable so that the final position of the vocal cord can be adjusted to enhance the quality of the patient's voice following the procedure. The multi-component device preferably includes, in the case of lateralization, a collar (18), a translation bushing (16), and a piston having a grasping device (12) which is inserted through the thyroid cartilage and activated to grasp the vocal process region of the arytenoid cartilage and lateralize the arytenoid. In the case of medialization, the multi-component device includes a collar (18) and a bushing (16) mounted for displacement relative to the collar (18), toward the targeted process, to push the process and/or engage a push plate to medialize the process.