Methods of Fat Tissue Processing for Human Vocal Fold Injection: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Vocal fold injection (VFI) using autologous fat is a safe procedure for voice restoration.
• While preserving vocal fold elasticity, VFI efficacy is limited by fat reabsorption, necessitating techniques maximizing viable adipocyte yield.
• Current practices lack a standardized approach for processing fat tissue for VFI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze existing methods for processing autologous fat tissue intended for vocal fold injection.
• To identify variations in fat processing techniques and their potential impact on VFI outcomes.
• To highlight the need for standardized protocols in autologous fat processing for vocal fold augmentation.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of scientific literature.
• Databases searched included PubMed, Embase, Ovid, and Cochrane Library.
• Included studies focused on autologous fat processing for human VFI and vocalization outcomes via acoustic analysis.

Main Results:

• Nine articles met the inclusion criteria from an initial search of 517 studies.
• Analysis revealed a significant lack of standardization across reported fat tissue processing methods for VFI.
• No single technique was identified as superior or universally adopted.

Conclusions:

• There is currently no standardized technique for processing autologous fat for vocal fold injection.
• Further research is essential to establish the most effective fat processing methods for VFI.
• Developing standardized protocols could improve the longevity and efficacy of fat grafting in voice restoration.