title: Artificial vocal folds adjustments to a patient's voice as easily as changing hearing aids or eyeglasses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For anti-ageing, devices and procedures to improve hearing (hearing aids, cochlear implants, etc.) and vision (eyeglass, intra ocular lens, etc.) are well established as communication support tools for the "speech chain". They can be fit to a person's individual needs, and adjusted as these needs change. However effective tools to improve voice problems associated with physiological aging are not so well established.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review previous phono surgical techniques with my experience, I propose a complete different approach for glottal incompetence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  I suggest a new adjustable surgical technique as a replacement for previous injection techniques used to treat glottal incompetence. My proposed solution is to implant an inflatable bag, or balloon, on the lateral side of the vocal fold. Unlike Autologous transplantation of fascia into the vocal folds procedures, where the implanted material appears to become vocal-fold tissue, the new implant would function as an artificial vocal fold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the proposed technique, the degree of augmentation can be adjusted to meet changing physical conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Artificial Organs and Medical Device Creation, National Hospital Organization, National Institute of Sensory Organs, 2-5-1 Higashigaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8902, Japan. tsunodakoichi@kankakuki.go.jp
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
mesh_terms: D055154:Dysphonia / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007831:Larynx, Artificial; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000379:methods*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000601:surgery*