Non-invasive vagus nerve magnetic stimulation combined with rehabilitation training for vocal cord paralysis and dysphagia following brain injury: a prospective case series study

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A prospective case series study enrolled 38 patients with brain injury-related vocal cord paralysis and dysphagia for a 21-day treatment protocol.
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The treatment included non-invasive vagus nerve magnetic stimulation, electrical stimulation for swallowing, and manual swallowing training.
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Post-treatment assessments showed significant improvements in swallowing safety, vocal cord function, and reduced airway management requirements.
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The incidence of vocal cord paralysis decreased from 100% to 63.2%, and 12 patients regained oral feeding ability after treatment.
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No serious adverse events occurred, but the study lacked a control group, necessitating further multicenter randomized controlled trials.

Frontiers In Neurology

by Shujuan Huang, Hanbo Chen, Caixia Ouyang, Huimin Han, Yong Luo, Weifeng Wen, Lirong Liu, Xiao Lu
July 1, 2026

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