Faculty from Weill Cornell Medicine's Sean Parker Institute for the Voice presented investigative work on a range of clinical topics at the first in-person Fall Voice Conference since 2019, in Miami, Fl Oct 22-24. Voice pathologist Christine Murphy Estes, MA, CCC-SLP detailed the changes resulting from the use of glucocorticoids for vocal fold swelling. Though common, this intervention has not been precisely characterized, and the use of steroids has been a source of anxiety to performers because of perceived adverse effects. The Sean Parker Institute experience suggests that brief use of steroid is effective and most side effects are self limited. Institute Director Lucian Sulica, MD detailed conclusions about damage to the vocal folds from voice use drawn from a 20 year surgical experience. His work suggests that lesions from such injury, although varied in appearance and presentation, tend to fall into two categories based on their patterns of formation. Work by otolaryngology resident Mark Lee, MD developed computer modeling that verified these observations, which may now be used to direct and refine treatment for such injury. Former laryngology fellow Necati Enver, MD surveyed his peers regarding training in office-based procedures and presented recommendations for the improvement of the training experience in this area. Medical Student Peter Yao detailed the use of deep learning algorithms to identify vocal fold polyps on laryneal examination by artificial intelligence.
The Fall Voice Conference is one of the principal national meetings in laryngology, focused on the clinical care of patients with voice-related difficulties and clinical and basic science research to guide clinical care.