Numerous materials have been used over the years for vocal fold augmentation. Early use of bioreactive compounds, such as paraffin, gave way to relatively inert substances, such as Teflon. More recently biocompatible materials, such as collagen and autologous fat, have gained wider acceptance. Autologous fat, in particular, is an easily obtainable source for potential rehabilitation of scarred, paralytic, and atrophic vocal folds. However, long-term systematic follow-up has been lacking. Since 1991 we at the University of Kansas Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders have employed autologous fat for vocal fold augmentation, primarily for either paralysis or repair of a volume-deficient vocal fold segment. Twenty-two patients have completed > or = 1 year of follow-up studies, including graded video-laryngostroboscopy, electroglottography, computerized acoustic analysis, and blinded perceptual analysis by two speech-language pathologists. Statistically significant improvement was demonstrated in many parameters tested, frequently improving with time. Although the volume-deficient group had more "normal" values, the paralysis group had greater improvement in many variables using fat injection. We conclude that while autologous fat injections of the vocal fold may have long-term benefits, certain technical considerations and criteria of selection of patients are critical for success.

No abstract

VitalStim therapy seems to help those with mild to moderate dysphagia. However, the patients with the most severe dysphagia in our study did not gain independence from their feeding tubes. The authors conclude that VitalStim therapy clearly has a place in the management of dysphagia, but that the most severely afflicted are unlikely to gain dramatic improvement.

Bilateral thalamic stimulation is effective in reducing tremor and functional disability in ET; however, dysarthria is a possible complication.

We studied the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus on voice symptoms in seven patients with essential tremor. All had undergone DBS for management of hand tremor. Five of the patients had received unilateral implants; two were treated bilaterally. Each reported improvement in hand tremor with thalamic stimulation (a 1-to-3-point change on a 5-point severity scale). Voice tremor was evaluated with and without stimulation using patient and clinician severity ratings, and acoustic measures (rate and amplitude). Four of the seven patients showed reductions in voice symptoms in at least two of these measures, although degree of change differed (e.g., from 1 to 3 points on the 5-point severity scale). Voice gains typically were restricted to those patients with the more severe symptoms and did not parallel improvements in the upper extremities. It appears that reduced voice tremor may be an additional benefit of DBS for some individuals.