Histological and ultrastructural findings in the vocal muscles of patients suffering from muscular dystrophies.

Biopsy material from the vocal muscle of patients suffering from Steinert's muscular dystrophy, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, oculopharyngeal progressive muscular dystrophy, and paraneoplastic myopathy was examined under the light and electron microscope. The histological findings were compatible with the muscular changes seen in the skeletal muscles of the extremities of the same patients. Slight differences in the severity of the pathologic process were noticed in correlation with the muscles of the extremities which were always more seriously affected than the vocal muscles. The ultrastructural study revealed a moderate to very permanent dilatation of the sarcotubular system, involving the T-tubules and the cisternae of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum as well. From the clinical point of view, the vocal muscle biopsy was beneficial to the patients suffering from Steinert's myotonic muscular dystrophy, whereas it did not affect the clinical condition of the others.