title: Office-Based Intracordal Hyaluronate Injections Improve Quality of Life in Thoracic-Surgery-Related Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.
abstract: Thoracic-surgery-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) may cause severe morbidity and can cause profound functional impairment and psychosocial stress in patients with pre-existing thoracic diseases. In-office intracordal hyaluronate (HA) injections have recently been applied to improve voice and quality of life in patients with vocal incompetence, but their effect on thoracic-surgery-related UVFP remains inconclusive. We therefore conducted a prospective study to clarify the effect of early HA injection on voice and quality of life in patients with thoracic-surgery-related UVFP. Patients with UVFP within 3 months after thoracic surgery who received office-based HA injection were recruited. Quantitative laryngeal electromyography, videolaryngostroboscopy, voice-related life quality (voice outcome survey), laboratory voice analysis, and health-related quality of life (SF-36) were evaluated at baseline, and at 1 month postinjection. A total of 104 consecutive patients accepted office-based HA intracordal injection during the study period, 34 of whom were treated in relation to thoracic surgery and were eligible for inclusion. Voice-related life quality, voice laboratory analysis, and most generic quality of life domains were significantly improved at 1 month after in-office HA intracordal injection. No HA-related complications were reported. Single office-based HA intracordal injection is a safe and effective treatment for thoracic-surgery-related UVFP, resulting in immediate improvements in patient quality of life, voice quality, and swallowing ability.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Otolaryngology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei (T-JF, L-JH, H-FC, H-YL); School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan (T-JF, L-JH, H-YL, AMKW, Y-CP); Department of Management, Graduate School, Ming Chung University (H-CC); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (AMKW, Y-CP); Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University (Y-CP); and Center of Biomedical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (Y-CP).
authors.forename: Tuan-Jen
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Li-Jen
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hsin
authors.forename: Hsiu-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hui-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Hsueh-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Alice M K
authors.initials: AMK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055675:Viscosupplements / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D014831:Voice
chemical_list: D055675:Viscosupplements; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid