Cricoarytenoid joint mobility after chronic vocal cord paralysis.

Eleven whole organ laryngeal specimens (10 human and 1 dog) with a history of long-standing (6 months to 17 years) paralysis were studied histopathologically for changes in the cricoarytenoid (CA) joints and the intrinsic laryngeal musculature. In 9 cases the paralysis was unilateral and in 2 bilateral. No evidence of CA joint ankylosis (fibrous/osseous obliteration of joint space or degeneration of articular surfaces) was seen in the specimens. The absence of CA joint ankylosis permits the efficacy of thyroplasty medialization procedures.