Laryngeal Manifestations of Bullous Pemphigoid: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease that affects primarily the skin and rarely involves the mucosa of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, or esophagus. Diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation, histology, and immunopathological examination. Laryngeal involvement in BP is extremely rare and patients may be asymptomatic or may present with dysphonia, dysphagia, and/or respiratory distress. The authors of this article report a rare case of BP with laryngeal involvement with a review of the literature. Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment is highly recommended to prevent any long-term complications.

Risk of Fibromyalgia in Patients with Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Prospective Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) in comparison to subjects with no dysphonia. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: The medical records and video recordings of all patients presenting to the Voice and Swallowing unit at a tertiary referral center between October 2022 and October 2023 and who were diagnosed with primary MTD were prospectively reviewed. The risk of fibromyalgia was assessed using the "Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool" (FiRST). Demographic data included age, gender, history of smoking, and history of high vocal load. The impact of dysphonia on quality of life was also analyzed using the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10). RESULTS: A total of 42 patients who had filled the FiRST questionnaire were enrolled in this study. These included 20 patients diagnosed with primary MTD and 22 healthy subjects with no history of dysphonia and normal laryngeal examination. Forty percent of the study group tested positive using the FiRST questionnaire as compared to only 9.1% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.03). The risk of having fibromyalgia was 6.67 times among patients with primary MTD in comparison to controls (RR=6.67; 95% CI [1.21-36.74]). CONCLUSION: The results of this investigation indicate that the risk of fibromyalgia is significantly higher in patients with primary MTD vs controls. A holistic approach in the diagnosis and treatment of MTD is advocated.

Arytenoid Cartilage Collapse During Inhalation in Awake Patients with Intermediate/High Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Retrospective Analysis of Sixty-Four Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of arytenoid cartilage collapse (ACC) during deep inhalation in awake patients with intermediate/high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. METHODS: The medical records and video recordings of awake flexible endoscopic examination of patients with history of OSA who presented to the sleep apnea clinic in a tertiary referral medical center between June 2022 and December 2022, were reviewed. All patients had filled the STOP-BANG questionnaire and had intermediate/high risk of having OSA. A group of patients matched by age and gender and with no history of OSA were used as controls. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients, 64 with a history of OSA and 31 with no history of OSA, were included. Among the study group, 37.5% (n = 24) had a STOP-BANG score between 3 and 4 and were considered to be at an intermediate risk of OSA while the remaining had a score more than 5 and were considered to be at high risk of OSA. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of ACC between the study group and controls (32.8% vs 12.9%, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ACC was significantly higher in patients with intermediate/high risk of OSA in comparison to healthy controls with no history of OSA. When present, ACC should raise the physician's suspicion for OSA and probably prompt further investigation such as a sleep study.

The sensitivity of laryngeal findings in predicting high-grade dysplasia in patients with vocal fold leukoplakia undergoing office-based biopsies: A retrospective analysis of 100 cases.

Objective: To investigate the sensitivity of laryngeal findings in predicting high-grade dysplasia/carcinoma in situ (CIS) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in patients with vocal fold leukoplakia. Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records and video recordings of the laryngeal examination of patients with vocal fold leukoplakia who underwent un-sedated office-based laryngeal biopsy in a tertiary referral center between January 2022 and August 2023 was conducted. Laryngeal findings included the size, surface, projection, and edges of the lesion. Vocal fold leukoplakia was classified according to the WHO as benign, low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia/CIS, and squamous cell carcinoma. Results: Seventy patients with 100 vocal fold leukoplakia were included. Size was found to have the highest sensitivity with an AUC of 0.730 (95% CI [0.618-0.842], p = 0.002) followed by surface and projection with AUCs of 0.672 (95% CI [0.548-0.795], p = 0.019) and 0.675 (95% CI [0.546-0.804], p = 0.017), respectively. Furthermore, the odds of diagnosing high-risk lesions (high-grade dysplasia/CIS and SCC) were the greatest when the lesion was large and rough (OR = 10.28; 95% CI [3.08-34.36]). Conclusion: The morphological features of vocal fold leukoplakia may assist the physician in predicting the risk of malignancy. Large and rough lesions were more likely to harbor high-grade dysplasia/CIS and SCC compared to small and smooth lesions.

Office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold polyps and Reinke's edema: a case study and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: To report the efficacy of blue laser in the treatment of vocal fold polyps and Reinke's edema in an office setting. METHODS: The medical records and video-recordings of patients who underwent office-based blue laser therapy in a tertiary referral center for vocal fold polyps and/or Reinke's edema were reviewed. The primary outcome measures were the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) score and disease regression. Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters were also analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (21 with vocal fold polyps and 14 with Reinke's edema) were included and a total of 47 lesions were treated. Out of the 35 patients, 7 patients were lost for follow-up. The mean VHI-10 score dropped significantly after surgery by 17.41 ± 8.67 points (p < 0.001). The endoscopic examinations of 38 lesions were reviewed (17 vocal fold polyps and 21 Reinke's edema) before and up to 6 months after laser therapy. In the subgroup with vocal fold polyps (N = 17), there was complete disease regression in 13 and partial in 4. In the subgroup with Reinke's edema (N = 21), there was complete disease regression in 7 and partial disease regression in 14. For patients with vocal fold polyp, there was a significant decrease in shimmer and a significant increase in maximum phonation time postoperatively. For patients with Reinke's edema, there was a significant decrease in shimmer and noise-to-harmonic ratio following treatment. CONCLUSION: Office-based blue laser therapy is an effective treatment for vocal fold polyps and Reinke's edema leading to complete or partial disease regression. All patients had improvement in voice quality.

Risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia: a possible local manifestation of a musculoskeletal systemic disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia, diagnosed based on history of dysphonia with evidence of laryngeal muscle tension on examination. Fibromyalgia was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool ('FiRST'). RESULTS: Fifty patients were enrolled: 25 with primary muscle tension dysphonia (study group) and 25 matched controls. The mean age of the study group was 50.7 ± 15.2 years versus 49.5 ± 18.6 years for the controls, with a male to female ratio of 3:2 for both groups. Fifty-six per cent tested positive for fibromyalgia in the study group versus 4 per cent in the controls (p < 0.001). The mean Voice Handicap Index 10 score in the study group was significantly higher for those who screened positive for fibromyalgia compared to those who screened negative. There was a positive, strong point-biserial correlation between Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool and Voice Handicap Index 10 scores (r = 0.39; p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that fibromyalgia is a significant co-morbid condition in primary muscle tension dysphonia.

The Dubai Definition and Diagnostic Criteria of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: The IFOS Consensus.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work was to gather an international consensus group to propose a global definition and diagnostic approach of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) to guide primary care and specialist physicians in the management of LPR. METHODS: Forty-eight international experts (otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, and physiologists) were included in a modified Delphi process to revise 48 statements about definition, clinical presentation, and diagnostic approaches to LPR. Three voting rounds determined a consensus statement to be acceptable when 80% of experts agreed with a rating of at least 8/10. Votes were anonymous and the analyses of voting rounds were performed by an independent statistician. RESULTS: After the third round, 79.2% of statements (N = 38/48) were approved. LPR was defined as a disease of the upper aerodigestive tract resulting from the direct and/or indirect effects of gastroduodenal content reflux, inducing morphological and/or neurological changes in the upper aerodigestive tract. LPR is associated with recognized non-specific laryngeal and extra-laryngeal symptoms and signs that can be evaluated with validated patient-reported outcome questionnaires and clinical instruments. The hypopharyngeal-esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH testing can suggest the diagnosis of LPR when there is >1 acid, weakly acid or nonacid hypopharyngeal reflux event in 24 h. CONCLUSION: A global consensus definition for LPR is presented to improve detection and diagnosis of the disease for otolaryngologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, and primary care practitioners. The approved statements are offered to improve collaborative research by adopting common and validated diagnostic approaches to LPR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 Laryngoscope, 2023.

Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on Voice: A Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to review the current literature on the effect of hypovitaminosis D on voice. STUDY DESIGN: Narrative review. METHODS: The literature search from electronic databases included PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Search terms included voice, voice quality, voice disorders, larynx, laryngology, acoustic analysis, vitamin D, calcitriol, cholecalciferol, vitamin D deficiency, and vitamin D insufficiency. All studies on patients with vitamin D deficiency, which included subjective and objective voice assessments, were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 39 studies were retrieved. Only four studies met the above-mentioned inclusion criteria and hence were included in this review. The total number of subjects analyzed was 466. The subjective voice outcome measures used were the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), self-reported phonatory symptoms, and the GRBAS scale. Objective voice outcome measures included fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, noise-to-harmonic ratio, maximum phonation time, and dysphonia severity index. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency has no significant effect on laryngeal muscles. There was no statistically significant difference in VHI-10 score, self-reported dysphonia, perceptual voice evaluation scores, or any of the acoustic measures between those with or without vitamin D deficiency.

Effect of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 on Voice: A systematic review and Meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes Mellitus type 2 is a growing health concern that affects several systems in the body among which the phonatory apparatus. Voice may be affected in view of the high prevalence of myopathy and neuropathy in diseased subjects. The authors aim to answer the following question: Does type 2 diabetes have an effect on voice? METHODS: The systematic review included search terms such as "speech, voice, larynx, glucose, diabetes, and hyperglycemia". The search strategy yielded 221 articles, only five of which satisfied the inclusion criteria. Articles were considered for inclusion using the PRISMA method. Analysis included 321 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 171 controls. All studies included were case control studies except for one study which was an observational cohort. Six parameters were chosen as endpoints for the systematic review and meta-analysis: the presence/absence of voice complaints, fundamental frequency (fo), jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio (NHR) and maximum phonation time. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of voice complaints (i.e., hoarseness) between diabetic patients and control groups. There was also no significant difference in any of the acoustic and aerodynamic measures between patients with type 2 diabetes and controls. These findings can be ascribed the high resilience of the laryngeal muscles to the adverse effect of systemic diseases. CONCLUSION: There is no consensus in the literature that the prevalence of voice symptoms in diabetic patients is significantly higher than that reported in healthy subjects.

Self-reported symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux using the reflux symptom score in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with many chronic diseases among which is laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)-related symptoms in patients with OSA using the Reflux Symptoms Score (RSS) and Reflux Symptom Index (RSI). METHODS: The medical records and video-recordings of patients with OSA who presented to a tertiary referral center were reviewed. The diagnosis of OSA was made using the STOP-BANG questionnaire and/or polysomnography. The prevalence of LPR-related symptoms was assessed using both the RSS and RSI questionnaires. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were included in this study. Twenty-seven patients (69.2%) had a positive RSS in comparison to only 7 (17.9%) using the RSI (p = .052). Subgroup analysis of those who had polysomnography (n = 24) showed that 18 patients (75%) had a positive RSS in comparison to only 5 patients (20.8%) using the RSI. Patients in the high-risk category for OSA were also found to have a higher prevalence of LPR-related symptoms using both the RSS and RSI questionnaires in comparison to those in the lower risk categories. CONCLUSION: The results of this investigation indicate that the prevalence of LPR-related symptoms is higher using the RSS in comparison to the RSI.

Patient tolerance in office-based blue laser therapy for lesions of the vocal folds: Correlation with patients' characteristics, disease type and procedure-related factors.

Objective: To report patient tolerance in office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold lesions. Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of patients who underwent office-based blue laser therapy for lesions of the vocal folds between November 2021 and February 2023 was conducted. A total of 48 patients were included. Patient tolerance was assessed using the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale (IOWA). Patient tolerance was analyzed in relation to patients' demographic characteristics, disease type and severity, and procedure-related factors. Results: The mean tolerance score of the study group was 1.51 ± 1.1. There was a significant difference in the mean tolerance score between smokers and non-smokers (p = .038). Patients with vocal fold cyst (n = 3) had the highest mean tolerance score followed by patients with vocal fold polyps (n = 15). There was a nonsignificant difference in the mean tolerance score between benign lesions of the vocal folds and leukoplakia. Patients with lesions extending to more than half the vocal fold had less tolerance than those with lesions limited to less than half the vocal fold (1.91 vs. 1.27, p value .041). There was a moderate and significant negative correlation between vocal fold movement VAS, swallowing VAS, and tolerance score. The mean total duration of the procedures was 10.38 ± 4.8 min. There was a mild negative correlation between the duration of the procedure and tolerance. Conclusion: Office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold lesions is a well-tolerated procedure. Patient should be instructed how to breathe quietly and avoid swallows to improve tolerance to surgery. Level of Evidence: 4.

Office-Based Laser Therapy for Vocal Fold Cyst: A Promising Alternative Therapy Using the 445 nm Blue Laser.

Vocal fold cysts are benign lesions commonly encountered in laryngology practice. They are traditionally classified as mucus retention cysts and epidermoid cysts. The mainstay treatment is surgical excision with diligent dissection of the cyst wall. The authors of this manuscript report a series of two cases of vocal fold mucous retention cysts and one case of vocal fold pseudocyst treated with the blue laser (Wolf TruBlue 445 nm; A.R.C. Laser Company) in an office setting. All three cases had complete regression of the lesion with improved glottic closure and mucosal waves during phonation. The disease regression was associated with a decrease in the VHI-10 score, perceptual voice evaluation scores, and acoustic perturbation parameters. There was also an increase in maximum phonation time in all three cases. The authors advocate office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold cysts as a promising treatment modality, particularly in patients at high risk for general anesthesia. Nevertheless, the possible increased risk of vocal fold scarring given the lack of binocular microscopic examination should not be underestimated. A larger study is needed to cast more information on the surgical outcome and long-term effects of blue laser therapy in the management of vocal fold cysts.

Diagnostic Value of Pepsin Measurements in Dysphonia Attributed to Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of pepsin test in detecting laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in patients with suspected LPR-induced dysphonia. METHODS: Dysphonic and non-dysphonic patients with LPR at the 24-hour hypopharyngeal-esophageal impedance-pH monitoring (HEMII-pH) were recruited from January 2019 to November 2022. Patients collected saliva/sputum samples to measure pepsin concentrations. Symptoms and findings were studied through reflux symptom score (RSS) and reflux sign assessment (RSA). Voice quality was assessed with maximum phonation time, GRBAS, voice handicap index (VHI), and acoustic parameters at baseline and 3-month post-treatment. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values of pepsin tests for dysphonia-related to LPR were calculated at ≥16 ng/mL cutoff. The relationship between HEMII-pH, clinical features, voice quality outcomes, and pepsin measurement was investigated. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients with LPR at the HEMII-pH completed the evaluations accounting for 30 patients consulting for dysphonia. Dysphonic patients reported higher RSS than non-dysphonic patients. RSS, RSA, laryngeal findings, VHI, and grade of dysphonia significantly improved from baseline to 3-month posttreatment. Pepsin test detected LPR in 73% of dysphonic cases. The pepsin test was 73.3 sensitive and 18.9 specific when considering the highest pepsin level of morning, postlunch, and postdinner sputum collections. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV varied regarding the time of sputum collections. There was a strong significant association between the concentration of the morning pepsin test and the severity of laryngeal RSA score (P = 0.018). The morning pepsin saliva test concentration was predictive of the 3-month otolaryngological RSS (P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Pepsin test is a sensitive but poorly specific diagnostic approach for patients with dysphonia attributed to LPR. Multiple pepsin measurements may increase the sensitivity and predictive value of pepsin test. Future large-cohort studies are needed to investigate the accuracy of pepsin test in this population.

Prevalence of Laryngeal Muscle Tension in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: To determine the prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control. METHODS: A total of 75 patients were included in this study. These were divided into a study group with a history of OSA (n = 45), and a control group with no history of OSA matched according to age and gender (n = 30). The risk of OSA was assessed using the STOP-BANG questionnaire. Demographic data included age, gender, body mass index, smoking, history of snoring, history of use of continuous positive airway pressure, and history of reflux disease. Symptoms such as hoarseness, throat clearing/cough, and globus sensation were also noted. The video recordings of the flexible nasopharyngoscopy of both groups were analyzed for the presence or absence of four laryngeal muscle tension patterns (MTPs). RESULTS: Twenty-five patients of the study group (55.6%) had signs of laryngeal muscle tension on laryngeal endoscopy compared to nine in the control patients (30%) (P = 0.029). The most common MTP observed in the study group was MTP III (n = 19), followed by MTP II (n = 17). Laryngeal muscle tension was more prevalent in patients of the intermediate and high-risk categories compared to those of the low-risk category (73.3% and 62.5% vs 28.6%, respectively) (P = 0.042). Patients with at least one MTP had more dysphonia and throat clearing than patients without any MTP. CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of OSA have a higher prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension in comparison to subjects with no history of OSA. Moreover, patients at high risk of OSA have a higher prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension than those at low risk of OSA.

Prevalence of Allergy in Patients with Primary Dysphonia.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation is to examine the prevalence of allergy in patients with primary dysphonia. Methods: The medical records of patients diagnosed with primary dysphonia and who underwent allergy testing during the period extending from June 2018-2020 were reviewed. Patients' demographics, laryngoscopic findings and allergy skin prick testing were analyzed. Results: A total of 22 patients were included. Eleven out of twenty-two patients (50%) tested positive to at least 2 allergens, and eight (36%) tested positive for at least 3 allergens. The most common allergens tested positive were D. Farinae for household inhalants, followed by Chenopodium, Russian thistle and weed mix for weeds. In patients with a positive allergy testing, the most common laryngeal findings included edema in 36%, followed by excess mucus and MTD in 18% of cases each. Conclusion: Allergy is common in patients presenting with primary dysphonia and non-specific laryngeal findings. Allergy testing should be part of the diagnostic work-up of affected patients.

Office-Based Blue Laser Therapy for Vocal Fold Leukoplakia: A Preliminary Report of 12 Cases.

Objective: To report the efficacy of office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold leukoplakia. Study Design: A retrospective case series. Setting: A tertiary care center. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with vocal fold leukoplakia who underwent office-based blue laser therapy between July 2019 and October 2022 was conducted. The video recordings of their laryngeal examination and their voice evaluation were analyzed before and after surgical intervention. Results: A total of 10 patients, eight with unilateral disease and 2 with bilateral disease, were included in this study. In total, 12 vocal folds with leukoplakia were treated. Nine had a single session and 3 had 2 sessions due to incomplete regression of the lesion after the first laser therapy session. Following treatment, 9 regressed completely (75%) and 3 regressed partially (25%). The mean Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) score decreased significantly from 15.4 ± 12.9 preoperatively to 3.8 ± 2.86 after surgery (p = .023). There was a statistically significant decrease in the means of grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (p < .05). There was also a statistically significant decrease in the jitter and shimmer percent (p = .008 and p = .048, respectively) and a significant increase in the maximum phonation time from 9.63 ± 3.83 to 13.54 ± 5.92 seconds (p = .039). Conclusion: This preliminary study indicates that office-based blue laser therapy is an effective treatment modality for vocal fold leukoplakia.

Office-based blue laser therapy for dyspnea in patients with type 3 Reinke's edema.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of in-office blue laser therapy on dyspnea in patients with type 3 Reinke's edema. METHODS: The medical records and video-recordings of patients with Reinke's edema type 3 who had undergone office-based blue laser therapy between March 2022 and January 2023 were reviewed. The primary outcome measures assessed before and after surgery were dyspnea severity, risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and disease regression. The severity of dyspnea was measured using the Dyspnea Severity Index (DSI), the risk of OSA was assessed using the STOP-BANG questionnaire, and disease regression was assessed by reviewing the laryngeal examination before and after surgery. The Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) was used as a secondary outcome measure. RESULT: A total of 10 patients were included. The mean age of the study population was 58.9 ± 4.2 years. The male-to-female ratio was 2:3. In total, 20 vocal fold lesions were treated among which 18 were reviewed. Eight lesions regressed completely and 10 partially. There was a statistically significant drop in the mean score of DSI after surgery (16.1 ± 10.2 pre-operatively vs 2.3 ± 2.3 post-operatively, p-value < 0.001). The mean STOP-BANG score decreased from 4.8 ± 1.47 to 3.1 ± 1.28 (p-value = 0.001). There was also a significant improvement in VHI-10 score (22.7 ± 7.0 vs 4.4 ± 5.6, p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Office-based blue laser therapy offers a safe and effective treatment for shortness of breath in patients with type 3 Reinke's edema.

Office-Based Laser Therapy in Vocal Fold Polyps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze voice outcomes and lesion regression in patients with vocal fold polyps treated in-office using lasers. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The search was performed in the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases using the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analyses framework. There were no limitations to the year of publication and the search included studies looking at voice outcomes and lesion evolution of in-office laser treatment for vocal fold polyps measured through voice-handicap index, GRB, acoustic analysis or aerodynamics measures. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane's ROBINS-I tool for observational studies. Data analysis was performed SPSS software with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: We identified 167 articles, 10 of which met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The total number of participants was 242. Meta-analysis showed significant improvement in voice handicap index-10 scores (95% CI, [0.86; 1.45]) and decrease in GRB score (95% CI, [1.09; 4.13]) after in-office laser therapy. It also showed significant improvement in percent shimmer (95% CI, [0.26; 1.01]), and significant increase in maximum phonation time (95% CI, [-0.92; -0.18]). CONCLUSIONS: Laser therapy an outpatient office setting is a reliable alternative to classical phono-microsurgery. Results show Office-based laser therapy of vocal fold polyps results in a significant improvement in subjective voice outcomes measures. This subjective improvement in voice quality is associated with partial or complete disease regression on laryngeal examination and an increase in maximum phonation time. Ovlaryngeal examination in patients with polyps treated with in-office laser.

The Added Value of Steroid Injection Following Office-based Blue Laser Therapy of Benign Lesions of the Vocal Folds; Short-Term Effect in a Cohort of 43 Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the added value of steroid injection following office-based blue laser therapy of benign lesions of the vocal folds. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. METHODS: The medical records and video-recordings of patients with benign lesions of the vocal folds who underwent office-based blue laser therapy in a tertiary referral center between February 2020 and October 2022 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two subgroups, those who underwent office-based blue laser therapy alone (n = 23) and those who underwent office-based blue laser therapy with steroid injection (n = 19). Disease regression and voice outcome measures included Voice Handicap Index-10 score, perceptual voice evaluation using the GRB grading, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio, voice turbulence index, and maximum phonation time were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients were included. The mean age was 54.7 ± 10.1 years. Lesions included polyps (n = 21), Reinke's edema (n = 19), and cysts (n = 2). There was partial or complete disease regression in all patients who presented for follow-up (n = 37). In patients who underwent blue laser therapy alone (n = 19), 42.1% had complete regression and 57.9% had partial regression. In those who underwent blue laser therapy followed by steroid injection (n = 18), 77.7% had complete disease regression and 22.3% had partial regression. The difference in disease regression between the two subgroups was statistically significant (P = 0.027). The decrease in the mean Voice Handicap Index-10 score was also statistically significant with a higher mean being noted in the subgroup who underwent blue laser therapy followed by steroid injection (-10.5 ± 6.9 vs. -17.3 ± 11.8, P = 0.031). There was no significant difference in the decrease in the perceptual evaluation scores nor in the decrease in jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio, and voice turbulence index between the two subgroups. There was also no significant increase in the maximum phonation time. CONCLUSION: Steroid injection after blue laser therapy improves disease regression and voice outcome of laser therapy.