Delayed reinnervation of unilateral vocal cord paralysis in dogs.

The neuromuscular implantation technique for rehabilitation of unilateral vocal cord paralysis was performed in four dogs at the time of denervation and in six dogs after varying intervals of chronic denervation. As would be expected, the chronically denervated animals did not achieve the vocal cord excursion of the acute denervations, but some return of motion was noted even after six months. Histologic examination of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle was correlated with the return of movement.