Hylan B gel restores structure and function to laser-ablated canine vocal folds.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated cross-linked hyaluronic acid (hylan B gel) as a scaffold for tissue regeneration and mucosal wave restoration in carbon dioxide laser-ablated canine vocal folds.


METHODS
Five beagles underwent stroboscopy before ablation of the left vocal fold with a carbon dioxide laser. Four weeks later, stroboscopy was repeated before and after submucosal injection of hylan B gel into the left vocal fold of 4 animals and of saline solution in 1 animal. Stroboscopy was repeated 12 weeks later, and histologic analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Four weeks after laser ablation, all animals had soft tissue defects and absence of mucosal waves. Hylan B injection restored mucosal waves, and saline injection did not. Twelve weeks after injection, hylan B-injected larynges had tissue regeneration and mucosal waves, and the saline-injected larynx had neither. Histology showed regenerated lamina propria with residual foci of hylan B in the hylan B-injected larynges and dense submucosal scar in the saline-injected animal.


CONCLUSIONS
Submucosal hylan B gel injection in laser-ablated canine vocal folds restored tissue volume and mucosal waves and facilitated functional tissue regeneration over 12 weeks. Hylan B gel may have utility as a soft tissue scaffold for rehabilitation of phonatory function in vocal folds with lamina propria defects.
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
Babak
B
Jahan-Parwar
Dinesh K
DK
Chhetri
Ming
M
Ye
Steven
S
Hart
Gerald S
GS
Berke
D000818:Animals; D002482:Cellulose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004285:Dogs; D004338:Drug Combinations; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D053685:Laser Therapy; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D049489:Stroboscopy; D013635:Tantalum / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery
D004338:Drug Combinations; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds; C070509:hylan gel; D013635:Tantalum; D002482:Cellulose; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D013917:Thrombin