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Had Anterior Disectomy With Fusion. Woke Up With No Voice. What Kind Of Doctor Should I See?
Question: I had an anterior disectomy with fusion in 2001. I awoke with no voice. I also had to have another disectomy in 2002 as a result of being rear ended in Atlanta, GA. When I awoke from that surgery - I had no voice. Since 2001 I have continually lost my voice for weeks at a time. It has now progressed to the point that it is gone more than I have it. It has been gone for 10 weeks now. I have been to many voice clinics, ENT's and neurologists. No one seems to be able to help me. My voice is a soft whisper most of the time. Sometimes it goes completely. At other times it sounds raspy. The volume is so low that to talk I feel like I am screaming. I need some help and don't know the next step. What kind of doctor do I need to see now?
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. If you can share a videolaryngoscopy or a stroboscopy video, the exact problem may be evident.
2. Laryngeal nerve injury is after anterior discectomy and fusion. However, most of these recover in a year or two.
3. Did you have the operation on the same side during both the operations? Did you have any other symptoms such as aspiration of liquids, difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) or breathlessness (dyspnoea)?
4. Do you have any copies of the clinical findings or notes of the Voice Clinics, ENT Specialists or Neurologists?
5. If there has been a persistence of a vocal cord palsy or a phonatory gap, vocal fold injections may help close the phonatory gap. Phonosurgery or Thyroplasty may also help.
I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for your query.
1. If you can share a videolaryngoscopy or a stroboscopy video, the exact problem may be evident.
2. Laryngeal nerve injury is after anterior discectomy and fusion. However, most of these recover in a year or two.
3. Did you have the operation on the same side during both the operations? Did you have any other symptoms such as aspiration of liquids, difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) or breathlessness (dyspnoea)?
4. Do you have any copies of the clinical findings or notes of the Voice Clinics, ENT Specialists or Neurologists?
5. If there has been a persistence of a vocal cord palsy or a phonatory gap, vocal fold injections may help close the phonatory gap. Phonosurgery or Thyroplasty may also help.
I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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