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Published on: December 2, 2011
Volume analysis of preadipocyte injection for vocal cord medialization
Frank R Glatz1, James Kalkanis, Michael Neumeister
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 301 North 8th Street, Springfield, IL, USA. fglutz@siumed.edu
Objective:
To compare the volume retention of injected preadipocytes with that of standard fat injection in a paralyzed rabbit true vocal cord.
Study Design:
Prospective analysis with blinded data collection.
Methods:
Thirteen New Zealand white rabbits were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of seven animals undergoing left-side vocal cord paralysis by resection of a 1-cm segment of the left-side recurrent laryngeal nerve and abdominal fat harvest for isolation of preadipocytes. Preadipocytes were cultured under sterile conditions in cell culture media. Animals in group 2 also underwent left-side vocal cord paralysis without fat harvest. After 10 to 14 days, in a second procedure, group 1 underwent injection of 0.1 mL cultured autologous preadipocytes, and group 2 underwent routine injection of 0.1 mL abdominal fat harvested during the same procedure. At 6 and 12 months, volumetric analysis was performed.
Results:
Volume analysis at 6 months showed a mean volume of 0.029 mL retained fat in group 2 representing a retention of approximately 29% (SD = 0.023) of the original injected volume. Retention in group 1 animals approximated 0.002 mL (SD = 0.0024) or 2% of the injected volume. Analysis at 12 months showed a mean volume of 0.008 mL (SD = 0.0078) in group 2 and of 0.002 mL (SD = 0.0015) in group 1. Group 2 showed significantly higher volumes of the injected fat at 6 and 12 months (P <.033).
Conclusion:
Volumes obtained with standard fat injection were superior to those obtained with preadipocyte injection at both 6 and 12 months.
