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Published on: June 13, 2017
One Year Outcomes and Longitudinal Changes in Voice Improvement With Single High Dose Intracordal Trafermin
Tomohiro Hasegawa1, Takeharu Kanazawa2, Daigo Komazawa3
1Tokyo Voice Center, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan.
Objective:
Although intracordal trafermin injection has been performed in the treatment of age-related vocal fold atrophy, the effects of single high dose trafermin injections are unknown. In this study, we examined the 1 year outcomes and longitudinal changes in voice improvement with single high dose intracordal trafermin injections.
Study Design:
Retrospective study with approval by our Ethics Committee.
Methods:
The medical records of 34 patients who underwent single high dose (50ug per side) intracordal trafermin injections under local anesthesia for vocal fold atrophy were retrospectively reviewed at 1 month pre-injection and 1 month, 6 months and 1 year post injection.
Results:
Maximum phonation time (MPT), pitch range (PR), Japanese version of voice handicap index (VHI), grade of GRBAS evaluation, and jitter% improved significantly at 1-year post-injection compared to 1-month pre-injection. MPT and PR improved as early as 1-month post-injection and continued to improve most at 1-year post-injection. VHI showed negative progression from 6-months to 1-year post-injection, during which time the speaking fundamental frequency (SFF) changed to the high pitch in men.
Conclusions:
Single high dose intracordal trafermin injections can be expected to improve voice in the early post-injection period and to maintain its effect for 1 year. SFF may play a role in worsening VHI in men.
Level Of Evidence:
level 4.

