Treatment:

Treatment depends on the cause of the injury. In some instances, no treatment may be needed and the nerve may recover on its own. Voice therapy is useful in some cases.

If surgery is needed, the goal is generally to change the position of the paralyzed vocal cord to improve the voice. This can be done with:

• Injections of collagen, Gelfoam, or some other substance
• Thyroplasty
• Arytenoid adduction

If both left and right nerves are damaged, an immediate tracheotomy may be needed to allow breathing, followed by additional surgery at a later date.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outlook depends on the cause of the injury. In some cases, the nerve rapidly returns to normal. However, sometimes the damage is permanent.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have unexplained hoarseness that persists for more than 3 weeks or if you have difficulty breathing.