Selected problems treated by vocal fold injection of collagen.
BACKGROUND
This study evaluates the results of vocal fold injection of bovine collagen.


METHODS
A group of patients were selected because they were not good candidates for other forms of treatment. This included patients with scarred vocal folds, bilateral vocal fold pathology with a small glottic gap, and unilateral vocal fold pathology with atrophy. Assessment used patient self-evaluation, perceptual judgments of voice recordings, laboratory data based on acoustic signal analysis, and aerodynamic measures during voice production. Vocal folds were also studied by videostroboscopy.


RESULTS
Most of the 45 patients treated with collagen injection were helped. In some cases, the improvement was marginal but documented using a variety of measures. Significant improvement was noted in jitter (P = .002), shimmer (P = .002), and maximum intensity (P = .026). There were no major complications and no hypersensitivity reaction.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of collagen injection in the treatment of a selected group of patients with glottic insufficiency who are not good candidates for other forms of therapy. Objective analysis of results suggest improved function in this difficult to treat patient population. Further clinical investigation is warranted.
Ford
C N
CN
Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Bless
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DM
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000628:therapy*; D014827:Vocal Cords
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; C048470:glutaraldehyde-cross-linked collagen; D003094:Collagen