[Clinical application of modified fistulectomy in the treatment of congenital pyriform sinus fistula based on segmental anatomy of fistula].

Objective:To discuss the clinical application and significance of the modified piriform fossa fistulectomy based on segmental anatomy of fistula. Methods:The clinical data of 84 patients with CPSF treated by modified pyriform sinus fistulectomy were analyzed retrospectively. The modified piriform fossa fistula resection adopts the fistula anterograde anatomy method to fine dissect the fistula. The operation procedure can be summarized into four parts: retrograde anatomy of recurrent laryngeal nerve, anatomy of external branch of superior laryngeal nerve, anterograde anatomy of fistula and partial thyroidectomy. Results:All 84 patients successfully completed the operation and discharged from the hospital. The operation time was（64.6±20.0） min, the intraoperative bleeding was（19.6±13.0） mL, and the average hospital stay was（6.8±1.1） d. Postoperative infection occurred in 1 case（1.19%）, temporary vocal cord paralysis in 1 case（1.19%）, no bleeding, pharyngeal fistula, dysphagia, permanent vocal cord paralysis and choking cough. The incidence of complications was 2.3%（2/84）. No complications such as permanent vocal cord paralysis and hypothyroidism occurred. Follow up for 57-106（Median 74） months showed no recurrence. Conclusion:A modified procedure based on segmental dissection of the fistula not only simplifies the traditional procedure, but also procedures the specific steps to provide a targeted and precise resection, which provides a proven surgical solution for complete eradication of the lesion and significantly reduces complications and recurrence.

To Explore the Changes and Differences of Microstructure of Vocal Fold in Vocal Fold Paralysis and Cricoarytenoid Joint Dislocation by Diffusion Tensor Imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The diffusion characteristics of water molecules were measured in the vocal folds of canines exhibiting unilateral vocal fold paralysis and unilateral cricoarytenoid joint dislocation. These characteristics were used in conjunction with a histological examination of the microstructural changes of vocal fold muscle fibers to explore the feasibility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in distinguishing unilateral vocal fold paralysis and unilateral cricoarytenoid joint dislocation as well as evaluating microstructural changes. METHODS: Ten beagles were randomly divided into three groups: four in the unilateral vocal fold paralysis group, four in the unilateral cricoarytenoid joint dislocation group, and two in the normal group. Unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve resection was performed in the vocal fold paralysis group. Unilateral cricoarytenoid joint dislocation surgery was performed in the dislocation group. No intervention was performed in the normal group. Four months postintervention, the larynges were excised and put into a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system (9.4T BioSpec MRI, Bruker, German) for scanning, followed by an analysis of diffusion parameters among the different groups for statistical significance. After MRI scanning, the vocal folds were cut into sections, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and scanned digitally. The mean cross-sectional area of muscle fibers, and the mean diameter of muscle fibers in the vocal folds were calculated by target detection and extraction technology. Mean values of each measurement were used to compare the differences among the three groups. Pearson correlation analysis was performed on the DTI parameters and the results from histological section extraction. RESULTS: The paralysis group had significantly higher Fractional Anisotropy (FA) compared to the dislocation group and normal group (P = 0.004). The paralysis group also had a significantly lower Tensor Trace value compared to the dislocation group and normal group (P = 0.000). The average cross-sectional area of vocal fold muscle fibers in the paralysis group was significantly smaller than the dislocation group and normal group (P = 0.000). Pearson correlation analysis yielded values of, r = -0.785, P = 0.01 between the average cross-sectional area of vocal muscle fibers and FA, and values of r = 0.881, P = 0.00 between Tensor Trace and the average cross-sectional area of vocal muscle. CONCLUSION: FA and Tensor Trace can be used as effective parameters to reflect the changes of microstructure in vocal fold paralysis and cricoarytenoid joint dislocation. DTI is an objective and quantitative method to effectively evaluate unilateral vocal fold paralysis and unilateral cricoarytenoid joint dislocation, also capable of noninvasively evaluating vocal fold muscle fiber microstructure.

Laryngoscopic findings of age-related vocal fold atrophy are reliable but not specific.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the reliability of laryngoscopic features of vocal fold atrophy as assessed by novice otolaryngology trainees and expert laryngologists. DESIGN: Two expert fellowship-trained laryngologists and three non-expert otolaryngology resident trainees were recruited to view 50 anonymised laryngo-stroboscopic examinations of patients presenting with dysphonia and non-voice, laryngeal complaints. Reviewers were asked to stratify the patient's age, provide an opinion about the presence of age-related vocal fold atrophy and specify which laryngoscopy features were present to make the diagnosis. SETTING: Tertiary care laryngology practice. PARTICIPANTS: Two fellowship-trained laryngologists and three trainee otolaryngologists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Accuracy of age categorisation was determined and Kappa analysis was performed to assess inter-rater agreement. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 54.9 years old with near equal male to female distribution. The overall accuracy of age category determination by raters was only 30.8%. Kappa analysis demonstrated fair agreement regarding the presence of vocal fold atrophy in non-expert reviewers, and moderate agreement amongst expert reviewers. Features of glottic gap, muscular atrophy of vocal folds and prominent vocal processes were all identified with high agreement (>80.0%). CONCLUSION: Our study illustrates that while raters can agree on the presence of age-related vocal fold atrophy, the findings may be non-specific and do not necessarily correlate with age.

Smoking-induced radiation laryngeal necrosis after definitive radiotherapy alone for T1a glottic squamous cell carcinoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: We report the case of a patient with smoking-induced radiation laryngeal necrosis (RLN) after undergoing definitive radiotherapy (RT) alone for T1a glottic squamous cell carcinoma. CASE: The patient was a 63-year-old man who had a history of heavy smoking. He quit smoking when he was diagnosed with glottic squamous cell carcinoma. The RT dose was 63 Gy, delivered in 28 fractions with the three-dimensional conventional RT technique for the larynx. After RT completion, the initial treatment response was complete response. He then underwent follow-up examinations. At 13 months after RT, the patient resumed smoking. At 2 months after resuming smoking, he had severe sore throat and hoarseness. Laryngoscopy revealed a large tumor in the glottis. Surgical excision was performed, and the patient was histologically diagnosed with RLN, as late toxicity without cancer recurrence. At 3 weeks postoperatively, the patient had dyspnea, and laryngoscopy revealed total laryngeal paralysis. Thus, he underwent an emergent tracheostomy. The administration of steroids affected RLN, and laryngeal paralysis gradually improved. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggests that smoking may have the potential to induce RLN after RT. Moreover, continuing smoking cessation is significantly important for patients with glottic cancer who receive RT. Rather than leaving smoking cessation up to the patient, it would be necessary for clinicians to actively intervene to help patients continue their effort to quit smoking.

Postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy is associated with pneumonia in minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: During the past decade, minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for esophageal cancer has been adopted worldwide with expectations of lower invasiveness. However, the rate of postoperative pneumonia, which is an independent risk factor for oncological prognosis in esophageal cancer, remains high. The aim of this retrospective follow-up study is to clarify whether there is a strong correlation between recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy and postoperative pneumonia in MIE. METHODS: This retrospective follow-up study included 209 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position (TEP) at Kobe University between 2011 and 2018. Inclusion criteria included age 18-85 years; cT1-3, cN0-3 disease; upper mediastinal lymphadenectomy; and ability to undergo simultaneous esophagectomy and reconstruction of the gastric conduit or pedicled jejunum. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to identify independent risk factors for pneumonia. RESULTS: Among 209 TEPs, pneumonia of Clavien-Dindo classification grade > II occurred in 44 patients (21%). In the pneumonia positive and negative groups, there were significant differences in age (67.9 ± 7.5 vs. 64.9 ± 8.6 years), 3-field lymph node dissection [27 (61%) vs. 67 (41%)], transfusion [20 (45%) vs. 41 (25%)], left RLN palsy [19 (43%) vs. 18 (11%)], and any RLN palsy [20 (45%) vs. 18 (11%)]. In multivariate analysis, any RLN palsy was associated with a higher incidence of pneumonia [odds ratio (OR), 6.210; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.728-14.480; P < 0.0001]. In addition, age was associated with a higher incidence of pneumonia (OR, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.001-1.103; P = 0.046). Changes in the rate of any RLN palsy over time were quite similar to changes in the incidence of pneumonia. CONCLUSION: There is a strong correlation between RLN palsy and pneumonia in MIE for esophageal cancer. Prevention of RLN palsy may reduce the incidence of pneumonia, leading to better oncological prognosis.

Recent advances in minimally invasive esophagectomy for squamous esophageal cancer.

Over the past decade there has been tremendous development in the clinical application of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for the treatment of squamous esophageal carcinoma. The major challenges in the performance of MIE include limitations in visualization and manipulation within the confined, rigid thoracic cavity; the need for adequate patient positioning and anesthetic techniques to accommodate the surgical exposure; and changes in the surgical steps for achieving radical nodal dissection, especially for the superior mediastinum. The surgical procedure for MIE is more and more standardized, and there is an increasing practice of MIE worldwide. Randomized trials and meta-analyses have confirmed the advantages of MIE over open esophagectomy, including a significantly lower rate of complications and shorter hospital stays. The recent application of robotics technologies for MIE has further enhanced the quality and safety of the surgical dissection, while intraoperative nerve monitoring has contributed to a lower rate of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. With the application of new technologies, we expect further improvement in surgical outcomes for MIE in the treatment of squamous esophageal cancer.

Could the infiltration of the thyroarytenoid muscle define the pT2 glottic carcinoma?

BACKGROUND: The involvement of the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle by glottic cancer may be related to an impaired vocal cord mobility, which is classified as cT2 disease. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the prognostic significance of TA muscle involvement in early glottic cancer treated with transoral laser microsurgery (TLM). METHODS: A review was conducted on a cohort of 209 patients consecutively treated with TLM for early glottic carcinoma. Univariate analysis was used to examine the prognostic meaning of clinical and pathological parameters. RESULTS: The statistical analysis showed that TA muscle infiltration correlated significantly with a worse prognosis in terms of recurrence rate and disease-free survival, and this was confirmed even in the subcohort with pT1a glottic cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary findings suggest that it could be considered as a criterion for upstaging a glottic cancer from pT1 to pT2.

Quality of Voice and Prognostic Markers for the Recovery of Vocal Fold Paralysis After Thyroid Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: This study is set to analyze clinicopathological factors predicting the recovery of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVP) in patients after thyroid gland surgery. The quality of voice was additionally assessed in these patients. METHODS: The charts and videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS) examinations of 84 consecutive patients with a complete UVP after surgery of the thyroid gland were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: patients who fully recovered from vocal fold paralysis and those who failed to recover after a follow-up of 12 months. The quality of voice was analyzed among other things by determining the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). RESULTS: The UVP fully recovered in 52 of 84 (61.9%) patients. Positive mucosal waves (pMWs) on the paralyzed side, a minimal glottic gap <3 mm seen at the first postoperative VLS, age ≤50 years, and surgery duration ≤120 minutes were associated factors for a complete recovery of nerve function. The voice parameters improved independently from recovery of the paralysis in 90% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with a poor prognosis of a UVP, early intervention may be beneficial. Thus, predicting factors for a full recovery of vocal fold motion would be a valuable tool. In our cohort, about 60% of recoveries could have been predicted using the above-mentioned parameters. Good quality of voice was independently reached in 90% of the cases.

Anesthetic Considerations of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring in Thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) might reduce the incidence of injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during thyroidectomy. Although dislocation of endotracheal tube surface electrodes can lead to false-positive IONM results (loss of signal), the risk factors for dislocation and the effects of muscle relaxants are unclear. Therefore, to identify factors that affect IONM results, we examined the frequency and risk factors for tube dislocation after cervical extension before surgery, the effect of sugammadex administration, and the correlation between IONM results and postoperative RLN palsy. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients scheduled for thyroidectomy from October 2016 to April 2017 were enrolled. All patients underwent standard IONM and pre- and postoperative laryngoscopy. Differences in patient characteristics in the tube dislocation group and non-dislocation group, and differences in amplitude during vagal stimulation before and after sugammadex administration, were assessed by the Mann-Whitney test or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Tube dislocation occurred in 27 patients (69%). Sterno-cricoid distance was significantly shorter in the dislocation group (n=27) than in the non-dislocation group (n=12) (43.88 [32.2-55.91] mm vs 49.46 [40.66-55.91] mm, respectively; p=0.048). Without sugammadex, amplitude during vagal stimulation was sufficient for monitoring. Nine patients had new-onset RLN palsy, which was transient in all patients. The sensitivity of IONM was 100%, the positive predictive value was 60%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that anesthesiologists should use video laryngoscopy to correct tube dislocation and that a rocuronium dose of 0.6 mg/kg, without sugammadex, is adequate for IONM.

Using intraoperative optical coherence tomography to image pediatric unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

OBJECTIVES: Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) impairs communication and reduces academic performance and social interactions in children. Deciding between temporary, permanent, or potentially destructive surgical interventions can be challenging, as there currently exists no reliable means of predicting vocal fold recovery or assessing the presence of vocal fold atrophy. Regarding vocal fold atrophy, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been shown to be an appealing non-invasive alternative for accessing vocal fold structures. This study describes UVFP microanatomy and identifies possible vocal fold atrophy using OCT. METHODS: Three UVFP patients (ages 1, 11, and 17 years) underwent bilateral OCT imaging using a handheld probe while under general anesthesia for direct laryngoscopy, and the laryngoscopic images were compared with images obtained from OCT. Structural morphological features were extracted and compared to a healthy patients' cohort. RESULTS: While endoscopy showed no evidence of vocal fold atrophy in two of three cases, OCT images revealed distinct differences between the lamina propria of the paralyzed and functional vocal folds in all patients. In two cases, the paralyzed vocal fold morphology was similar to a healthy patient at the age of nerve injury. The third case exhibited extensive scarring in the lamina propria of the paralyzed vocal fold. CONCLUSION: This pilot study characterizes and compares vocal fold microanatomy in three UVFP patients. In most cases, lamina propria development halted at the age of paralysis, suggesting that lamina propria maturation may be dependent on vocal fold functionality. OCT shows potential to aid UVFP assessment and treatment decisions by evaluating the presence of atrophy.

[Analysis of clinical characteristics of paroxysmal laryngospasm].

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the clinical characteristics of paroxysmal laryngospasm in adult. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 149 patients with paroxysmal laryngospasm in adult. All patients underwent the strobolaryngoscopy, completed the reflux symptom index (RSI) or the reflux finding score (RFS). Partial patients underwent an ambulatory 24-hour pH measurement. RESULTS: Laryngospasm was diagnosed in 76 females and 73 males. The average age was 55.4±11.4. The episode time of 149 (98%) patients last from several seconds tominutes, and 139 (93.3%) episodes could have a spontaneous remission. 84 (56.4%) episodes occurred only in the daytime, 28 (18.8%) only in the nighttime. There were 45.6% over weight/obesity patients, including 40 males and 28 females. The smokers were 28.9% (43/149) including 40 males and 3 females, and the drinkers were 29.5% (44/149) with 39 males and 5 females. 76 (51.0%) patients had no induced factor, while some caused by irritable cough/bucking (53,35.6%), cold (15, 10.1%), excitant food/smell (10, 6.7%), or regurgitation (6.5, 4.0%). Strobolaryngoscopy revealed laryngopharyngeal lesions in 46.3% (69/149) patients, including the glottic lesions with 40 (26.8%), unilateral vocal fold paralysis (21, 14.1%) and supraglottic lesions (8,5.4%). RSI/RFS showed 74.5% (111/149) patients had laryngopharyngeal reflux. Two patients treated with dietary and lifestyle modifications get improved, and 15/16 of the patients responded to antireflux treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Episode of paroxysmal laryngospasm occurs more in the daytime, and could have a spontaneous resolution. Paroxysmal laryngospasm is much easier to occur in the male who are overweight or obesity, or with a long-term history of smoking or drinking. Almost half of the patients have an induced factor; partial may have laryngopharyngeal lesions simultaneously. Paroxysmal laryngopharyngeal reflux may be closely related to laryngospasm.

Paediatric bilateral vocal cord paralysis: our experience. / Parálisis bilateral de cuerdas vocales en pediatría: nuestra experiencia.

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) is the second most common cause of neonatal stridor. The aim of this study was to describe the demographic features, aetiology, comorbidities, and management of our patients with BVCP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of the clinical charts of all patients diagnosed with BVCP seen at the Department of Respiratory Endoscopy between 2011 and 2015. RESULTS: 47 patients were included. Mean age at diagnosis was 1 month and male sex predominated (63%). The aetiology was congenital in 59% and acquired in 41% of the infants. The cause was most frequently idiopathic in the former group and secondary to postoperative injury in the latter. Overall, 42 patients (89%) required tracheostomy, without statistically significant differences between the causes. Of all the patients, 39% regained vocal-cord mobility; 44% of those with congenital BVCP, 31% of those with acquired BVCP and 62.5% with idiopathic BVCP. In five patients a laryngotracheoplasty was performed with a posterior costal cartilage graft and one underwent posterior cordectomy. All were decannulated. In one patient vocal-cord lateralization was performed, avoiding tracheostomy. CONCLUSION: BVCP was most commonly of congenital cause and was mainly idiopathic within this group of patients, with a slight male preponderance. A high percentage of patients required tracheostomy. A higher recovery rate of vocal-cord mobility was observed in idiopathic BVCP, which allowed for successful decannulation. In this series, decannulation was possible in all patients that underwent surgery; however, further studies with comparison of techniques and objective assessment of swallowing and phonation are necessary.

Laryngeal ultrasound detects a high incidence of vocal cord paresis after aortic arch repair in neonates and young children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of vocal cord paresis (VCP) after neonatal aortic arch repair/Norwood-type procedure, and the effectiveness of noninvasive laryngeal ultrasound in detecting VCP compared with gold standard invasive nasoendoscopy. METHODS: Fifty-two patients who underwent an arch repair (39 of 52; 75%) or Norwood-type procedure (13 of 52; 25%) via sternotomy between April 1, 2015, and April 30, 2017 underwent laryngeal ultrasound (50 of 52; 96%) and/or flexible fiber optic nasoendoscopy (39 of 52; 75%) at 48 to 72 hours after endotracheal extubation. Primary arch diagnoses were coarctation in 56% (29 of 52), hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 17% (9 of 52), isolated hypoplastic arch in 17% (9 of 52), and interrupted aortic arch in 10% (5 of 52). The median patient age at surgery was 5.5 days (interquartile range, 4.0-12.5 days). Fifteen patients (15 of 52; 29%) required preoperative intubation. RESULTS: Left VCP was present in 59% (23 of 39) of patients on nasoendoscopy and in 59% (27 of 46) of patients on laryngeal ultrasound, and 4 additional patients had inconclusive ultrasound results. There was agreement between the results of nasoendoscopy and conclusive ultrasound in all cases. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and Cohen's kappa coefficient of laryngeal ultrasound compared with nasoendoscopy for the detection of left VCP were 95%, 88%, 91%, 93%, and 0.83, respectively. On multivariable analysis, preoperative intubation and arch repair techniques other than the Norwood procedure were associated with left VCP (odds ratio, 12.7; P = .03; and 14.1; P = .03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high incidence of VCP after arch repair via sternotomy. Laryngeal ultrasound seems to be an effective and noninvasive method for detecting VCP in neonates and young children.

Impact of vocal fold augmentation and laryngoplasty on dyspnea in patients with glottal incompetence.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Given that the vocal folds are active organs of respiration, reports of dyspnea in the context of glottic insufficiency are not uncommon. We hypothesize that improved glottal closure via framework surgery or vocal fold augmentation improves dyspnea symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. METHODS: Charts of patients undergoing procedures to correct glottal insufficiency, either via vocal fold augmentation (VFA) or medialization laryngoplasty (ML) between December 2012 and September 2015 were reviewed (n = 189). Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale (MBDS) and Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (MMRCDS) data were collected before and after intervention. Age, body mass index (BMI), and sex, as well as pulmonary and cardiac comorbidities were considered. Subgroup analysis was performed on individuals with subjective dyspnea prior to intervention. RESULTS: For the entire cohort, differences in the MMRCDS and MBDS were not statistically different pre- and postintervention (P = .20 and P = .12, respectively). Patients with BMI <30 experienced more improvement on the MBDS (P = .03). Both the MMRCDS and MMBDS improved post-procedure (P = .001 and P = .001, respectively) in patients reporting dyspnea prior to intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with glottic insufficiency and dyspnea prior to intervention to improve glottic closure had a significant reduction in dyspnea following treatment. Conversely, subjects without complaints of dyspnea prior to intervention had variable outcomes with regard to dyspnea symptoms. Additionally, based on data from the entire cohort, VFA or ML did not worsen dyspnea symptoms. These data may assist in counseling and/or selection of patients considered for procedures to improve glottic closure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 128:427-429, 2018.

Total and Partial Laser Arytenoidectomy for Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Introduction. Treatment for bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) has evolved from external irreversible procedures to endolaryngeal laser surgery with greater focus on anatomic and functional preservation. Since the introduction of endolaryngeal laser arytenoidectomy, certain modifications have been described, such as partial resection procedures and mucosa sparing techniques as opposed to total arytenoidectomy. Discussion. The primary outcome measure in studies on BVFP treatment using total or partial arytenoidectomy is avoidance of tracheotomy or decannulation and reported success ranges between 90 and 100% in this regard. Phonation is invariably affected and arytenoidectomy worsens both aerodynamic and acoustic vocal properties. Recent reports indicate that partial and total arytenoidectomies have similar outcome in respect to phonation and swallowing. We use CO2 laser assisted partial arytenoidectomy with a posteromedially based mucosal flap for primary cases and reserve total arytenoidectomy for revision. Lateral suturing of preserved mucosa provides tension on the vocal fold leading to better voice and leaves no raw surgical field to unpredictable scarring or granulation. Conclusion. Arytenoidectomy as a permanent static procedure remains a traditional yet sound choice in the treatment of BVFP. Laser dissection provides a precise dissection in a narrow surgical field and the possibility to perform partial arytenoidectomy.

Impaired vocal cord mobility in T2N0 glottic carcinoma: Suboptimal local control with Radiation alone.

BACKGROUND: T2 glottic cancer with impaired vocal cord mobility (T2b) is known to have higher local failure rates when compared with T2 cancers without impaired cord mobility (T2a) treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone. METHODS: In this retrospective review, we identified and compared the local control rates of 3 groups: T2aN0 treated with RT; T2bN0 treated with RT; and T2b-3N0-2 treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT). RESULTS: The 3-year local control rate was 95.1% for T2aN0, 73.2% for T2bN0 treated with RT, and 91.5% for the CRT group (p = .01). On univariate analysis, T2bN0 disease versus T2aN0 treated with RT alone (p = .03) was significantly associated with inferior local control. CONCLUSION: Patients with glottic cancer with impaired vocal cord mobility (T2b) have a high rate of local failure with RT alone. The addition of concurrent chemotherapy should be considered for patients highly motivated toward larynx preservation and willing to accept the potential toxicity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1832-1836, 2016.