[Larynx: implants and stents]

There is a wide variety of devices and materials to be implanted into the human larynx. Some are intended to remain only for a period of time, like laryngeal stents. If removal is not intended the device meets the definition for a medical implant. The majority of implants is used for the treatment of unilateral vocal fold immobility. There a 2 types of implants serving this purpose: Implants in a stricter sense are devices of solid material, which are brought into the paraglottic space through a window in the laryngeal framework (medialization thyroplasty). Several different products are presented in this review. In contrast, there are different substances available for endoscopic injection into the paralyzed vocal fold (injection laryngoplasty). Since some of these substances show a corpuscular consistency and a high viscosity they need to be deposited into the lateral paraglottic space. Therefore, the term "injectable implants" has been coined for these materials. The different substances available are discussed in detail in this review. Laryngeal stents are primarily used in the early postoperative phase after open reconstruction of the larynx. The different devices available on the market are described with their specific characteristics and intended use.