Objective voice analysis after autologous fat injection for unilateral vocal fold paralysis

This study was designed to objectively compare a patient's voice after onse t of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) to his or her own normal voice, and to compare the results after treatment by intrafold injection of autol ogous fat. Acoustic recordings were obtained for 2 male patients before tho racic surgery and after the onset of iatrogenic left UVFP. Vocal fold augme ntation was performed 10 days after UVFP. The acoustic recordings were repe aled within 3 days and at 1 month. The phonation quotient, pitch perturbati on quotient, amplitude perturbation quotient, harmonics-to-noise ratio, cep stral peak prominence, and long-term average spectrum were analyzed. All pa rameters improved after treatment, with a return to preparalytic values for most. During the first month, some deterioration was noted. This is the fi rst study comparing a subject's own normal voice to his or her voice after vocal fold augmentation. We recommend overinjection of fat if vocal fold at rophy is expected.