The restoration of the functional competence of the larynx following bilateral laryngeal nerve damage and vocal fold paralysis is a serious challenge for the surgeon that has thus far no satisfactory solution. Physiological re-innervation that occurs naturally with time is non-selective and, in the majority of the cases, leads to synkinesis. Laryngeal pacing achieved with the application of the implantable microchips appears to be a promising approach. The animal experiments have demonstrated the possibility of successful restoration of all the functions of the larynx by means of laryngeal pacing but simultaneously revealed a number of technical issues that have to be addressed if the further progress in this field is to be achieved including the choice of the proper materials for implantation, solution of problems pertaining to the neuromuscular mapping during pacer implantation, etc.). The results of the first prospective clinical trial involving the human patients gave evidence suggesting that the laryngeal electrostimulation technology is both safe and efficient. Nevertheless, further investigations and modification of the method are needed before it can be recommended for the wider application in the routine clinical practice.

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Hypertensive heart disease with biventricular cardiac failure is not common in clinical practice. This diagnosis requires an extensive diagnostic search. We present the clinical case of the male patient of 38 aged. He was admitted to the clinic with heart failure 3-4 NYHA class. EchoCG revealed symmetric hypertrophy of the left ventricle up to 18 mm without its dilatation, a decrease in ejection fraction up to 42%, restrictive hemodynamics, overload of the right chambers, severe pulmonary hypertension (60 mm Hg). The clinical status included persistent arterial hypertension (180-220 and 120-150 mm Hg), effusion in both pleural cavities and pericardium, ascites, renal failure. During examination (multispiral computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, scintigraphy with 131I-MIBG), bladder paraganglioma was diagnosed (normatenafrin 1468 μg/day). The resection of the tumor was performed, according to immunohistochemical research – neuroendocrine carcinoma, G1. After 3 months a partial regression of hypertension and cardiac failure was observed with the preservation of a high level of creatinine. The criteria and differential diagnosis of the hypertensive heart disease and the syndrome of primary myocardial hypertrophy, diagnostics of the urinary bladder paraganglioma, complex mechanisms of myocardial damage within the pheochromocytoma and its prognosis are discussed.