Injection of basic fibroblast growth factor for unilateral vocal cord paralysis^*

Abstract

Objective: Unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP) not only induces severe dysphonia, but aspiration as well. Although laryngeal framework surgery is usually performed to treat this condition, the procedure is not tolerated by some patients. In the previous study, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) injections for vocal cord scarring and sulcus have been reported to provide favorable outcomes while being minimally invasive. In this study, the authors retrospectively investigated phonological outcomes after bFGF injection in patients with UVCP.

Methods: This study was registered in University hospital Medical Information Network – Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000019347). Nineteen patients with unilateral cord paralysis were treated with bFGF injection. The treatment regimen involved a single injection of 50 μg of bFGF into the muscle layer. More than six months after the injection, aerodynamic and acoustic outcomes were examined.

Results: The voice handicap index, maximum phonation time, mean airflow rate, and pitch range improved significantly after injection of bFGF. No sex-related differences were observed in any phonological parameter.

Conclusion: bFGF injection, an easy method and suitable as an office procedure, significantly improved the hoarseness caused by UVCP. It is expected to be widely adopted and effective adjunctive drugs, and procedures are anticipated to be developed.

Chinese abstract

目的: 单侧声带麻痹 (UVCP) 不仅引起严重的发音障碍, 而且引起呼吸困难。虽然通常进行喉框架手术来治疗这种情况, 但是一些患者不能忍受手术。在以前的研究中, 据报道, 治疗声带瘢痕和沟痕的基本成纤维细胞生长因子 (bFGF) 注射提供有利的结果, 其创伤度微小。在本研究中, 作者回顾性地研究了对UVCP患者注射bFGF后的语音结果。

方法: 本研究注册于大学医院信息网络 - 临床试验 (UMIN000019347) 。用bFGF注射治疗19例单侧声带瘫痪患者。治疗方案包括将50μgbFGF单次注射到肌肉层中。注射后6个月, 检查了空气动力学和声学结果。

结果: 注射bFGF后, 语音障碍指数、最大发声时间、平均气流速率和音高范围均有显著改善。在任何语音参数中都没有观察到性别相关的差异。

结论: bFGF注射法是一种简易方法, 适合用作诊室手术。它显著改善了UVCP引起的嘶哑, 预计将被广泛采用和起到辅助药物的效果 , 并将会进一步发展。

Keywords:

• Basic fibroblast growth factor
• office procedure
• regenerative medicine
• laryngeal framework surgery
• phonological outcome
• injection therapy

Disclosure statement

This work was performed at the Tokyo Voice Center in the International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan. This work was funded internally by the Tokyo Voice Center and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University. The authors have no other funding or financial relationships to disclose, or conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded internally by the Tokyo Voice Center and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University.