The Vocal Fold Augmentation with Liposuctioned Autologous Fat

Son, Young Ik; Park, Joo Hyun; Lee, Eun Kyung; Shin, Juno

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We experienced 11 cases of hoarseness and aspiration caused by vocal cord palsy or volume deficit. There are many materials used for injection into vocal cords to relieve hoarseness and aspiration (paraffin, gel foam, teflon, etc.). But, these materials can cause tissue reaction. Recently, many authors reported successful results by the injection laryngoplasty with autologous fat. And we discuss the effectiveness and complications of the injection thyroplasty with autologous fat.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We injected lipo-suctioned autologous fat into vocal cords with our method, and observed the effectiveness and complications of that method for more than 6 months. We analyzed hoarseness score and aspiration score and performed the acoustic analysis of speech.
RESULTS
We found only little improvement in the cases of sulcus vocalis, but good short-term results in the cases of vocal cord palsy. We observed no significant complications.
CONCLUSION
The injection thyroplasty with autologous fat is a safe, efficacious, economical and well-tolerated intervention for vocal cord palsy patients, who have possible reversibility of palsy, to relieve hoarseness and aspiration for short term.