Laser arytenoidectomy for bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

The CO2 surgical laser was found to be a useful tool for the performance of endoscopic arytenoidectomy for bilateral vocal cord paralysis. The dog was found to be a less-than-perfect experimental model for human bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis. Documentation by measurements of arterial blood gases and direct in vivo measurements of airway resistance following bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve section and endoscopic arytenoidectomy was attempted.