• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2012

Vocal fold scar disrupts structure of lamina propria and causes significant change in vocal fold tissue biomechanics, resulting in a range of voice problems that often significantly compromise patient quality of life. Although several therapeutic management have been offered in an attempt to improve vocal fold scar, the ideal treatment has not yet been found. Recently, several tissue engineering technique for vocal fold scar using growth factors, several cells, and scaffolds have been described in tissue culture and animal models. Several growth factors such as hepatocyte growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta 3 for therapy and prevention of vocal fold scar have been studied. Cell types to regenerate vocal folds in scarring tissue have been introduced autologous or scarred vocal fold fibroblast and adult mesenchymal stem cells. Decellularized organ matrix and several hyaluronic acid materials have used as scaffolds for vocal fold scar.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2016

Background and Objectives : The clinical reports for the treatment of vocal fold scar and sulcus vocalis are limited, also there is no best one for the treatment of them. This study is to evaluate the effect of Injection laryngoplasty (IL) for the treatment of vocal fold scar and sulcus vocalis. Materials and Methods : from January 2013 to May 2015, the Nineteen patients who were diagnosed as vocal fold scar, sulcus and atrophy, and underwent IL, were engaged in this study. Clinical information and voice parameters were analyzed by retrospective chart review. Pre and post voice parameters were compared. Results : Subgroups of diagnosis were classified into sulcus vocalis for 12 patients, vocal fold scar for 5, and atrophy for 2. IL was performed under local anesthesia through cricothyroid membrane except one patient. Atesense$^{(R)}$, Radiessess$^{(R)}$, and Rofilan$^{(R)}$ were used as injected materials in 9, 9, and 1 patients respectively. Maximal phonation time (p=0.0124), dynamic range (p=0.0028), pitch range (p=0.0141), voice handicap index (p=0.028), glottal closure (p=0.0229), and mucosal wave (p=0.0132) had significant improvement for post-IL voice assessment than Pre-IL. While GRBAS, Mean flow rate, Jitter, Shimmer, Harmony to Noise ratio didn't have improvement. Conclusion : IL is a feasible option for the treatment of glottis incompetence with normally mobile vocal folds such as sulcus vocalis and vocal fold scar.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.124-127
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• 2019

Vocal fold scarring is an intractable phonosurgical condition. The number of patients with vocal fold scars is increasing with the aging of society and with the increasing application of laryngeal microsurgery. Many methods are available to treat these, including voice therapy, stem cells, regenerative scaffolds, and growth factors. However, no standard treatment strategy has yet been established, and novel techniques are required. Basic fibroblast growth factor has been shown to be effective for the treatment of mild chronic vocal fold scarring. The combined use of basic fibroblast growth factor and regenerative scaffolds is currently under investigation. Here, we report a female patient in whom vocal fold scarring developed after two laryngeal microsurgeries. We performed laryngeal microsurgery to remove the scar tissue and used basic fibroblast growth factor and a collagen scaffold to promote healing. The patient's voice quality was greatly increased, and she was content with her voice after 2 years of follow-up. This is the first report of this methodology in Korea and is presented along with a review of the literature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.70-75
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• 2018

The office-based, un-sedated vocal fold injection laryngoplasty has re-emerged in the past decade as an appealing alternative to microsuspension laryngoscopic procedure which is conducted under general anesthesia. The trend toward vocal fold injection laryngoplasty in an in-office setting was possible due to technological evolution for visualization and new injection materials. However, invisibility of the injection needle has been the main shortcomings of cricothyroid approach. The purpose of this review is to provide an up-to-date review of office-based, trans-cricothyroid membrane approach injection laryngoplasty technique under local anesthesia and efforts made to increase the preciseness of amount and location of the injected materials in the management of glottic insufficiency. A review of variable efforts undertaken to maximize the result of cricothyroid approach by technically increasing accuracy of the location of needle tip was done. With the proper patient selection and utilization of the new technologies, office-based and un-sedated vocal fold injection laryngoplasty via cricothyroid approach can be redeem as a main-stay in the management of glottic insufficiency, such as vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold paresis, vocal fold atrophy and vocal fold scar.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.118-125
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• 2009

Bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) is a challenging condition which may result from diverse etiologies including vocal fold paralysis, synkinesis, cricoarytenoid joint fixation, and interarytenoid scar. Most patients present with dyspnea and stridor, but sometimes with a breathy dysphonia. Careful history taking, laryngoscopic evaluation under general anesthesia or awaken status, laryngeal EMG, and imaging studies with CT and/or MRI are helpful for providing a precise diagnosis and planning appropriate managements. In children, congenital neurological disorder is one of the most common etiologies, and spontaneous recovery has been reported in more than 50% of cases. Therefore, observation for more than 6 months while securing the upper airway with tracheostomy if needed is a generally accepted rule before deciding any destructive procedure to be undertaken. In children with advanced posterior glottic stenosis, laryngotracheal reconstruction with rib cartilage graft should be considered. In contrast to children, BVFI most commonly occurs as sequalae of surgical complication in adults. Diverse static or dynamic procedures can be applied; posterior cordotomy, vocal fold lateralization, endoscopic or open arytenoidectomy, arytenoid abduction, and reinnervation, electrical laryngeal pacing, which need to be carefully selected according to each patient's needs and pathophysiology of BVFI.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2008

Endoscopic laser cordectomy is known as an oncologically sound procedure for T1 and selected T2 glottic carcinoma ; it has comparable local control rate and better long-term laryngeal preservation rate when compared with those of radiotherapy. Even if results of the reported voice outcome studies after surgery or radiotherapy are diverse and controversial, resection deeper than the body layer of the vocal fold (type III, IV, V cordectomy) usually leads to aerodynamic insufficiency during phonation and results in poor voice quality. A keyhole defect or development of synechiae at the anterior commissure after type VI cordecomy may also result in unsatisfactory vocal outcome. However, many advances in phonosurgical techniques are reported to be successfully applied in the reconstruction of glottal defect that is subsequent to endoscopic laser cordectomy. In case of glottal insufficiency, voice restoration can be achieved by means of augmentation of the paraglottic space or medialization of the excavated vocal fold. Injection laryngoplasty with synthetic materials or autologous fat is gaining its popularity for restoring minor glottal volume defect because of its convenience. Laryngeal framework surgery, especially type I thyroplasty with premade implant systems or Gore-Tex, is most frequently used to correct larger glottic volume defect. In case of anterior commissural keyhole defect, additional procedure including laryngofissure may be required. For anterior commissural synechiae, laryngeal keel may be inserted for several weeks or mitomycin-C may be repeatedly applied after the division of adhesive scar to prevent restenosis. In this paper, current concepts and the authors' experiences of phonosurgical reconstruction of vocal function after endoscopic cordectomy will be introduced.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.153-156
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• 2021

Indications of fiberoptic laryngeal laser surgery (FLS) procedure have broadened by the development of flexible fiberoptic endoscopes and flexible laser systems. FLS procedure performed under local anesthesia and it is the unique value of FLS. The surgery can be performed on patients who are impossible to undergo general anesthesia and difficult to be exposed by laryngeal microsurgery. Main indication of FLS procedure was small to moderate sized hemorrhagic vocal polyp, but we experienced a case of huge vocal polyp with difficult laryngeal exposure treated by FLS procedure under local anesthesia. The vocal polyp was removed successfully without vocal fold scar through fiberoptic laryngeal laser surgery under local anesthesia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.166-171
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• 2022

Background and Objectives Vocal fold (VF) scar is known to be the most common cause of dysphonia after laryngeal microsurgery (LMS). Steroids reduce postoperative scar formation by inhibiting inflammation and collagen deposition. However, the clinical evidence of whether steroids are helpful in reducing VF scar formation after LMS is still lacking. The purpose of this study is to determine whether intralesional VF steroid injection after LMS helps to reduce postoperative scar formation and voice quality. Materials and Method This study was conducted on 80 patients who underwent LMS for VF polyp, Reinke's edema, and leukoplakia. Among them, 40 patients who underwent VF steroid injection after LMS were set as the injection group, and patients who had similar sex, age, and lesion size and who underwent LMS alone were set as the control group. In each group, stroboscopy, multi-dimensional voice program, Aerophone II, and voice handicap index (VHI) were performed before and 1 month after surgery, and the results were statistically analyzed. Results There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of sex, age, symptom duration, occupation and smoking status between each group. Both groups consisted of VF polyp (n=21), Reinke's edema (n=11), and leukoplakia (n=9). On stroboscopy, the lesion disappeared after surgery, and the amplitude and mucosal wave were symmetrical on both sides of the VFs in all patients. Acoustic parameters and VHI significantly improved after surgery in all patients. However, there was no significant difference between the injection and control group in most of the results. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the results of stroboscopy, acoustic, aerodynamic, and subjective evaluation before and after surgery in the injection group and the control group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2009

Background and Objectives: Topical administration of mitomycin-C (MMC) has been reported to reduce or delay scar formation in airway surgery. However, it is not infrequent to experience recurrent stenosis or adhesion of operative wound even after a meticulous MMC application during the laryngeal surgery. Therefore we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of repeated postoperative MMC applications and the technical feasibility of MMC applications to the laryngeal wound at an outpatient clinic. Methods: We reviewed medical records of 13 consecutive patients who received office-based MMC applications after laryngeal airway surgery at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. The patients were grouped into 3 categories according to the site of surgical wound and the purpose of MMC application; group I : supraglottic stenosis (n=5), group II : cordectomy and arytenoidectomy site granulation prevention (n=3), Group III : laryngeal web prevention (n=5). Outcomes in each group and adverse effects of repeated MMC applications were evaluated. Results: Office-based MMC application was successfully performed one to four times with a week interval for each patient. No significant complications were observed except slightly decreased mucosal wave in one female patient who received 4 times of MMC application at the anterior commissure of vocal fold. Repeated MMC applications at the outpatient clinic resulted in wide or acceptable supraglottic airway in group I, clean wound healing without granulation formation in group II, and negligible or no web formation at the anterior commissure in group III. Conclusion : Office-based topical administration of MMC to the larynx was technically feasible. Postoperative repeated MMC applications were effective to reduce recurrent stenosis or adhesion of supraglottic structures, to prevent granuloma formation after laser arytenoidectomy and glottic web formation after anterior commissure resection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2022

Background and Objectives Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), mucolytics, and steroids were commonly recommended after phonomicrosurgery to prevent worsening of vocal fold (VF) scar formation and subglottal swelling. However, there is no consensus about whether laryngeal reflux and thick discharge are associated with the voice outcomes following phonomicrosurgery in benign VF lesions. The purpose of this study is to examine voice outcomes of use of PPIs, mucolytics,and steroids after phonomicrosurgery. Materials and Method This randomized controlled study is performed with patients undergoing laryngomicroscopic surgery for VF polyp and cyst. Participants were randomly assigned to 1) no medication, 2) PPIs, 3) PPIs+mucolytics, and 4) PPIs+mucolytics+steroids for 2 months postoperatively. Grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale, stroboscopic examination, aerodynamic assessment, acoustic analysis, and Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) were performed pre- and post-operatively at 2 months. Parameters were compared among four groups. Results Among 85 patients, a total of 50 patients were included. The VHI-10, perceptual and acoustic parameters improved in all groups after surgery. However, there was no significant difference in those parameters among all groups. Conclusion PPIs, mucolytics, and steroids did not significantly influence voice outcomes after phonomicrosurgery in patients with benign VF lesions.