ACDF and voice issues?

julyg

ACDF surgery caused paralysis of my right vocal cord. Part of my job was doing voice overs and that ended with my ACDF surgery. The ENT at the hospital where I had my ACDF confirmmed surgery paralyzed right vocal fold (Cord) It took 2 surgeries and over 1 yr of vocal exercises (15 speech therapy sessions) to get close to my original voice. This was 1.5 yrs ago and I still suffer from voice fatigue speaking, and just forget about singing... it's impossible.

I had the chief neurosurgeon do my ACDR at one of the top spine centers in the country.

Here is my advice, and I learned the hard way....

While your surgery is being performed, they have sensor monitors in critical areas which sets off alarms to warn the surgeon that they are too close to critical nerves. After my surgery was done and my cord was paralyzed a client who is a nurse anesthesiologist asked why it wasn't used. I called & asked my neurosurgeons pa and was told he didnt order it thought it wasn't necessary for the larangyal nerve!!!!!!!!!!

Please search my posts by searching my name and you will see how it affected me.

I was told presurgery the complications of surgery could be death, paralysis , permanent hoarsemess in less then.5% patients.
No one mentioned paralyzed vocal cord which leaves you with a high whiney breathy voice, choking and air starvation.
NO ONE thinks they will be in that .5% . I sure didn't. And nonfusion was NEVER mentioned and I visited 3 NS before surgery. I am fused at 1 level and not the other.


Biggest lesson I learned, do not be swayed by the institution's reputation, research the surgeon and call the nurses where he performs surgery and ask if they themselves were having an ACDF which surgeon would they select.

When I went back for a gelfoam injection to my vocal cord the nurses in the OR (getting my IV ready) asked me why the chief NS did my surgery and not dr so and so!

Do your home work!

Julyg