Triciasmom
10-14-2004, 06:06 AM
Hi MaryBeth,
My Patricia is 8 and her LTP didnt' work either (she was trached at 5 yrs old). The first ENT we saw wanted to cut away a part of her chord, but that scared us so much we found another ENT. This past summer Patricia had a vocal chord lateralization. This is a technique where they actually suture back the VC rather than cutting away the tissue. Once tissue is gone, it can't be replaced. I don't know if this surgery is an option for you and your daughter, but I know that Dr Cotton does it, and it might be worth asking about. I have gotten the impression that cutting away the chord is truely a last option (although it still may be one we have to consider ourselves....depending on how things go here.). The advantage to a lateralization (if it is possible) is that it doesn't remove any tissue, and can be altered or totally reversed. Did Dr Cotton say this was the only thing left you can do? Patricia had a bunch of complications after her LTP, and actually wasn't trached until after hers (long story). Please feel free to email me if you just want to talk, or to learn more about what we have been through. I hope you keep us up to date here on what is decided.
Godspeed
Clare
My Patricia is 8 and her LTP didnt' work either (she was trached at 5 yrs old). The first ENT we saw wanted to cut away a part of her chord, but that scared us so much we found another ENT. This past summer Patricia had a vocal chord lateralization. This is a technique where they actually suture back the VC rather than cutting away the tissue. Once tissue is gone, it can't be replaced. I don't know if this surgery is an option for you and your daughter, but I know that Dr Cotton does it, and it might be worth asking about. I have gotten the impression that cutting away the chord is truely a last option (although it still may be one we have to consider ourselves....depending on how things go here.). The advantage to a lateralization (if it is possible) is that it doesn't remove any tissue, and can be altered or totally reversed. Did Dr Cotton say this was the only thing left you can do? Patricia had a bunch of complications after her LTP, and actually wasn't trached until after hers (long story). Please feel free to email me if you just want to talk, or to learn more about what we have been through. I hope you keep us up to date here on what is decided.
Godspeed
Clare