Arytenoidectomy Treatment in India

Rahul Brown, a 42-year-old high school...

Rahul Brown, a 42-year-old high school music teacher and choir director, had always been proud of his rich baritone voice. For the past two years, he struggled with progressive, severe hoarseness and a constant feeling of choking, especially when trying to project his voice in the auditorium. It began after a difficult bout of pneumonia. Multiple ENT visits and speech therapy did not help. A laryngoscopy revealed bilateral vocal fold immobility with the vocal cords fixed in a closed position, a condition called bilateral vocal fold paralysis, likely from nerve damage during his illness. His airway was dangerously narrow. His ENT surgeon explained that an arytenoidectomy, removing part of one arytenoid cartilage, would permanently widen his airway to save his breathing, but at the cost of some vocal quality. The thought of losing his professional voice was devastating. The surgery was performed endoscopically. The recovery was challenging; his throat was sore, and his new voice was breathy and weaker. However, he could breathe freely for the first time in years. While he mourned the loss of his powerful singing voice, he adapted, focusing on music theory and conducting. The relief of easy breathing brought a profound sense of safety and a new, quieter appreciation for his lifelong passion.