Daughter trached for Vocal Cord Paralysis

[MGsMom]

Hi all,

My daughter was trached on Thursday because she was stuck on CPAP due to low movement of vocal cords. The left one was paralyzed after the PDA ligation 3 months ago and the right one was damaged with ankylosis from 8 weeks of intubation. We are still in the hospital hoping to try nippling after she recovers from the surgery. And have started taking steps towards coverage for care in rehab and home.

We had 2 balloon dilations that seemed to have worked before the laryngoscopy that revealed it was the vocal cords under the swelling that was the real narrowing. We hope those hold so we don't have the glottic stenosis to deal with too.

What experience if any have you had with vocal cords coming back within the first year? Or how long did it take?

[JWorthington]

Sorry I have no advice about the vocal cord paralysis, just wanted to say hi and welcome, glad you found us!

[lil' G's mom]

Welcome to the group!!!
My son G has left VCP due to PDA. And it all depends one whether the nerve was just damaged or completely severed. G's was severed so will not come back but if it was damaged I hear that they can regenerate over time. But may continue to have some problems. They can learn to talk with just one VC but it depends on position( open or closed) G's is opened.
Again welcome to the board everyone on here is a great help!!!

[rosi's mom]

Rosi had VCP.. A portion of the problem was from the ET tube. The rest of the problem was from a blood clot that pushed against the nerve. Her vocal cords were both paralyzed shut. She was trached in January 09. By June of 09 both her vocal cords were moving. By November of 09 the trachea was healed and her vocal cords were both moving 'wonderfully'. She's still trached, but if all goes well she won't be after this week.
I met a respiratory therapist at our local hospital that had VCP when he was a baby and had his trach until he was 5. He told me that his vocal cords took 2 years to show any movement. Just to show you that every baby is different.

[teachkjg]

Hi - my son was trached just over a year ago for vocal chord paralysis. We were told that the trach wouldn't be needed for more than 2 years..... we are now about to take him in for surgery to hopefully get the trach removed by the end of the summer. Isaac will have a double stage LTP on May 11, he's basically having reconstruction of his vocal chords, then we are hoping after a few months he will be decanned. I have to say, we dreaded the trach when talk of it started, and I was devestated when it happened. That being said, it was the best thing that ever happened to my Isaac!! For the first time in a long time he could actually breathe - freely!!

[alizesmom]

Just saying hi and welcome. Karen

[sarah78]

Hi,

My daughter was trached for BVCP and we were initially told that movement could return within the first year. In our case this hasn't happened because our first ENT consultant failed to see that it is the joints at the back of the cords that are scarred as a result of intubation when she was born and we now know that she is going to need reconstructive surgery before we can attempt to take the trach out again.

Good luck and welcome to this fantastic board :)