title: Fat augmentation following microsurgical removal of the vocal nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Autogenous fat augmentation has been used as a treatment for glottic insufficiency. However, no information is available on the effectiveness of fat injection in patients with vocal nodules or recurrent vocal nodules after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective study reviews the efficiency of fat injection after surgery in patients with vocal nodules (n = 18) and recurrent vocal nodules (n = 5).
  
  
  METHODS
  The perceptual acoustic, phonatory function, and video laryngostroboscopic data were evaluated before and after surgery in 23 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean follow-up time was 7.5 months. Nineteen patients had excellent results. Two patients had improvement, and no change was observed in two patients. Phonatory function showed significant improvement in shimmer, harmonic-to-noiseratio (P <.05), maximum phonation time, grade, roughness, and breathiness (P <.001). Video laryngostroboscopic rating showed significant improvement in linearity of the vocal fold edge, amplitude of vocal fold vibration, and excursion of the mucosal wave (P <.001). Less improvement was observed in recurrent vocal nodules than in nonrecurrent vocal nodules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fat injection is an effective autogenous implant and may be considered as an option in management of patients with vocal nodules after surgery. Recurrence of nodules is a problem, but the procedure may be repeated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. hsiunm01kimo@yahoo,com.tw
authors.forename: Ming-Wang
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hsiung
authors.forename: Yen-Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Yaoh-Shiang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Bor-Hwang
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hsing-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014741:Video Recording; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000601:surgery*; D014833:Voice Quality