Dysplastic Collagen Fibrils in the Human Vocal Fold: An Electron Microscope Study

Abstract

Electron microsope studies made on biopsy samples of the human vocal chord from patients suffering from chronic hoarseness revealed pathological changes in both the collagen fibrils and the elastic fibres. There was splitting and fracturing of the collagen fibrils and lacuna or cyst formation in the elastic fibres, or even the complete fibre degeneration. Further investigations must be undertaken in order to establish whether the changes observed are of a primary or secondary nature.