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Long-term histological outcomes of injected autologous fat into human vocal folds after secondary laryngectomy.

Sasai H, Watanabe Y, Muta H, Yoshida J, Hayashi I, Ogawa M, Kubo T

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, 3-1-56 Mandai-higashi, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8558, Japan. sasai@gh.pref.osaka.jp

OBJECTIVE: To histologically evaluate the long-term outcomes of autologous fat grafts after injection laryngoplasty in the human larynx. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We injected liposuctioned fat for vocal fold augmentation in patients with vocal fold paralysis. We suctioned autologous fat from the low abdomen with an 18-G disposable needle and a 20-mL disposable syringe under negative pressure. This is different from the conventional liposuction technique and avoids the use of special equipment. In this article, we report the histological evaluation of 2 patients (patient 1: 12 months, patient 2: 41 months) who required total laryngectomy after autologous fat injection into the vocal folds. RESULTS: Histological examination revealed normal-appearing viable adipocytes with minimal inflammatory response in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our liposuctioned autologous fat injection histologically offered long-term improvement in patients with impaired glottal closure from vocal fold paralysis.

Published 11 May 2005 in Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 132(5): 685-8.
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