Outcomes of fat injection laryngoplasty in unilateral vocal cord paralysis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze outcomes following fat injection laryngoplasty in patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis.

DESIGN:

Longitudinal outcomes evaluation study.

SETTING:

Tertiary referral voice center.

PATIENTS:

Thirty-three consecutive patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis undergoing autologous fat injection laryngoplasty with preoperative and serial postoperative follow-up at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

INTERVENTION:

Autologous fat injection laryngoplasty.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Voice laboratory measurements, Voice Outcome Survey, and 36-item Short Form Health Survey.

RESULTS:

Except for the physical functioning dimension of global health, voice-related subjective outcomes and acoustic variables of the patients significantly improved after surgery (P < .05). Compared with population norms, the mean (SD) scores of patients were inferior on the 36-item Short Form Health Survey dimensions of physical functioning (80.7 [22.3] vs 90.2 [17.4]) and role functioning-physical problems (65.0 [36.2] vs 80.2 [36.2]). Overall, 88.9% (24 of 27) of the patients were satisfied with their surgery.

CONCLUSIONS:

Fat injection laryngoplasty seems to be effective in enhancing acoustic and quality of life outcomes in patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis. The effect is sustainable over 12 months.

• Authors: Tuan-Jen Fang, Hsueh-Yu Li, Richard E Gliklich, Ya-Hui Chen, Pa-Chun Wang, Hsiu-Feng Chuang
• Journal: Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg) Vol. 136 Issue 5 Pg. 457-62 (May 2010) ISSN: 1538-361X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20479375 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adipose Tissue
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Female
• Humans
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Phonation
• Quality of Life
• Speech Acoustics
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• Treatment Outcome
• Vocal Cord Paralysis (therapy)