Cymetra injection for unilateral vocal fold paralysis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Cymetra demonstrates biocompatibility and low resorption for facial augmentation.
• Glottal incompetence due to unilateral vocal fold paralysis impacts voice quality.
• Investigating Cymetra as a potential treatment for glottal incompetence is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Cymetra injections in the thyroarytenoid muscle for treating glottal incompetence.
• To assess voice quality and glottal gap closure following Cymetra injection.
• To determine the long-term durability of Cymetra's effects on voice function.

Main Methods:

• Ten patients with dysphonia underwent transoral injection of Cymetra into the thyroarytenoid muscle.
• Preoperative and postoperative assessments included acoustic analysis, aerodynamic measures, voice sampling, and videostroboscopy.
• Outcomes were evaluated at study intervals to assess voice parameters and glottal closure.

Main Results:

• Significant short-term improvements were observed in maximum phonation time, relative glottal area, and subjective glottal competency.
• These improvements were not sustained at the 3-month follow-up.
• No significant long-term changes in quantitative or subjective voice quality were noted.

Conclusions:

• While Cymetra provided initial benefits for glottal incompetence, its effects were transient.
• The resorption rate of Cymetra likely contributes to the lack of sustained improvement.
• Further investigation into biomaterial resorption and vocal fold augmentation is necessary.