Experience with Vocal Cord Injection

Abstract

For 14 years investigators accredited by the FDA have been injecting a Teflon - glycerin mixture into lateral-lying, paralyzed vocal cords. This paper represents a summary of the work of this author, including successes, failures, and complications; it is the largest reported series, plus that of accredited investigators. The method described is exceptionally useful; it has restored voices, laughter, the ability to strain, and has prevented aspiration. A new surgical technique involving the injection of sterile glycerin into comparable vocal cords in acute new situation is also described. This is done by direct or indirect laryngoscopy, and has been used to eliminate some tracheotomy surgery by virtue of the immediately improved cough effectiveness.

Recent Advances in Phonosurgery

“…The technique, once abandoned due to the side effects of paraffin, was revived by Arnold (1963) using Teflon paste and has come into wide clinical use as a safe and reliable procedure. The effectiveness of Teflon injection in the treatment of paralytic dysphonia has been demonstrated univocally by many investigators (Arnold, 1962;Lewy, 1963Lewy, , 1966Lewy, , 1976Goff. 1969;Rubin, 1975;von Jeden et al, 1967;Saito, 1977;Fukuda, 1970;Stone and Arnold, 1967;Dedo et al.…”

Endoscopic Treatment of Reflux: Experimental Study and Review of Teflon® and Collagen

“…This was not confirmed by Bischoff, Lewy and Hakky [3,27,39]. Malignancy was found adjacent to a Polytef implant in only 3 cases, none of these tumors had a definite cause-and-effect relation ship with Polytef.…”

“…Otolaryngologists have injected polytetrafluorethylene into vocal cords for dysphonia and aphonia for more than 30 years in many patients without significant clinical adverse sequelae [1,2,4,12,37,39].…”

Vesico-ureteric reflux in adults with neuropathic bladders treated with Polydimethylsiloxane (Macroplastique®)

“…16 Concerns have been raised of the possibility of migration and granulomatous reaction following periurethral Te¯on injection 17 and some anecdotal reports of potential carcinogenesis in humans with Te¯on. 18,19 However, the risk of migration is limited with the small quantity (50.3 ml) of Te¯on used for subureteric injection. For the cases of carcinogenesis reported with Te¯on, there has not been a de®nite causal relationship.…”