Introduction Previous papers11-18 have been devoted to a systematic discussion of laryngeal paralysis from the various viewpoints of anatomy, neurophysiology, pathology, laryngeal acoustics, vocal symptomatology, and the very complex interrelations among the physical, functional, emotional, and psychoauditory factors that determine the outcome of any laryngeal lesion in the individual case. It was shown that numerous details of laryngeal physiology and pathology are now known with considerable certainty. Various correlations between visible pathologic deviations and audible disorders of function are well understood in their significance and general validity. Since laryngeal paralysis is one of the more frequent causes of severe vocal impairments, the importance of improving at least the functional disability was fully appreciated by the older generation of laryngologists. Numerous techniques were devised to assist the patients in their struggle to regain a better voice. Frequently it is not possible to cure the underlying pathologic process that caused the