Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available to our patients. Sign up for Connect today to schedule your vaccination.
At the 12th Congress of the European Laryngological Society in London, May 16-19, Insitute director Lucian Sulica, MD presented results of studies regarding vocal fold paralysis and sulcus vocalis, two conditions of special interest to Institute investigators.
Vocal fold paralysis has the potential to recover gradually for months after onset. The incidence of recovery over time, which has not previously been described, was elucidated from information culled from 420 patients treated at the Institute. This time-adjusted recovery rate allows for better information on which to base treatment decisions. In addition, the data reveals differences between vocal fold paralysis from surgical injury and vocal fold paralysis of idiopathic (unknown cause) which reflects the underlying injury mechanism.
Sulcus vocalis is a scar-like condition of the vocal folds which is a persistent treatment challenge in laryngology. In general, surgical efforts focus on reconstruction on an important physiologic layer called the lamina propria. Information from surgical specimens obtained at the Instute suggest the main inflammatory focus resides in a different layer, and simple exision may be as effective or even better than reconstruction.
