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VOCALIST: Does Laryngeal Reinnervation or Type I Thyroplasty give better voice results for patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis?

VOCALIST Patient summary:

The purpose of this study is to help determine the most effective treatment for patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis. 

There are currently two types of operations used in the NHS to treat this condition;

  • One operation is called Thyroplasty, where doctors place a small piece of safe plastic into the side of your voice box to push the weak vocal cord into a position to enable better speech and swallowing. 
  • In the other operation called Laryngeal Reinnervation, doctors repair the neck nerve supply to the vocal cord using parts of other unaffected nerves to enable better speech and swallowing. 

We do not currently know which of these methods is better and are conducting this study to start comparing the two operations,  so that a larger clinical trial can be conducted in the future to tell us which operation is best.

The trial will be recruiting at four hospitals;

  • Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital, London under Professor Martin Birchall
  • Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester under Dr Yakubu Karagama
  • Poole Hospital, Dorset under Dr Kate Heathcote
  • Lewisham Hospital, London under Mr Nick Gibbins

VOCALIST Scientific Summary

VOCALIST Inclusion Criteria

Should you wish to take part in the study, or would like to receive more information, please contact the Trial Manager Helen Knowles helen.knowles@ucl.ac.uk