Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Manufacturing Process for Non-Adhesive Super-Soft Vocal Fold Models
Published on: January 5, 2024
Artificial vocal folds adjustments to a patient's voice as easily as changing hearing aids or eyeglasses
1Department of Artificial Organs and Medical Device Creation, National Hospital Organization, National Institute of Sensory Organs, 2-5-1 Higashigaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8902, Japan. tsunodakoichi@kankakuki.go.jp
Introduction:
For anti-ageing, devices and procedures to improve hearing (hearing aids, cochlear implants, etc.) and vision (eyeglass, intra ocular lens, etc.) are well established as communication support tools for the "speech chain". They can be fit to a person's individual needs, and adjusted as these needs change. However effective tools to improve voice problems associated with physiological aging are not so well established.
Materials And Methods:
Review previous phono surgical techniques with my experience, I propose a complete different approach for glottal incompetence.
Results And Discussion:
I suggest a new adjustable surgical technique as a replacement for previous injection techniques used to treat glottal incompetence. My proposed solution is to implant an inflatable bag, or balloon, on the lateral side of the vocal fold. Unlike Autologous transplantation of fascia into the vocal folds procedures, where the implanted material appears to become vocal-fold tissue, the new implant would function as an artificial vocal fold.
Conclusion:
Using the proposed technique, the degree of augmentation can be adjusted to meet changing physical conditions.
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