title: Analysis of voice function following autologous fat injection for vocal fold paralysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study demonstrates that intravocal fold injection of autologous fat obtained by liposuction technique is simple, and the functional results durable for patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis due to injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  41 patients with unilateral paralysis of the vocal fold due to injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve received intravocal fold injection of autologous fat. Autologous fat, harvested from the lower abdomen by liposuction technique, was filtered out and injected through a needle into the vocal fold by using endolaryngeal microsurgery. Clinical follow-up after the injection was carried out from 1 month to 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Voice function dramatically improved compared with the parameters examined before the operation. Vocal function continued to improve as time passed during the second year after injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravocal fold injection of autologous fat obtained by liposuction technique is simple, and the functional results durable for patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis due to injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness continued for more than 2 years in most patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan. umeno2@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Umeno
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirouzu
authors.forename: Shun-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chitose
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakashima
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014833:Voice Quality