10 Questions about Voice Surgery

What is Voice Surgery?

Voice surgery refers to the operations performed to correct vocal disorders and improve voice quality. Voice cord surgeries can be done by accessing the vocal cords through the mouth under a microscope, while some types of voice surgery can also be performed by making a small incision in the neck to reach the larynx area, which includes the vocal cords.

How Can I Understand If I Need Surgery for My Voice Disorder?

Understanding what disease causes the voice disorder is crucial for determining whether voice surgery is required. This is done through an examination using methods that visualize the vocal cords. The examination can be easily performed in a sitting position under clinic conditions. No special preparation or local or general anesthesia is required for the examination. Methods for visualizing the vocal cords include videolaryngostroboscopy, flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy, and distal chip-flexible endoscopic examination. When these examinations are conducted by an experienced Otolaryngologist, the nature of the disease can be determined, the location of the diseased tissue on the vocal cords and/or larynx can be observed, and photo and video recordings can be taken for monitoring the treatment process.

Is Voice Surgery an Endoscopic Surgery?

Yes, a large majority of voice cord surgeries are surgeries performed endoscopically by viewing the area from inside the mouth without any incision in the neck, using endoscopes and microscopes. This allows the vocal cords and surrounding structures to appear much larger than they actually are, allowing for fine, precise surgery.

Are Laser Technologies Used in Voice Cord Surgeries?

Laser technology has been used for treating voice disorders for nearly 50 years. The use of lasers in the treatment of voice cord diseases can be conducted both in clinic and operating room settings. However, laser is not the only option when performing voice surgery. There are clinical cases where lasers yield better results, but there are also voice cord problems for which classical surgical instruments, cautery, radiofrequency, fillers, and implants are primarily preferred.

Which Lasers Are Used in the Treatment of Voice Cord Problems?

Depending on the nature of the disease in the vocal cords (such as polyp, papilloma, cancer), vascular selective lasers (KTP, PDL, TruBlue) or cutting and vaporizing lasers (carbon dioxide and diode lasers) can be used for treatment.

How Can I Track Changes in My Voice Before and After Surgery?

Your physician can record your voice before and after voice surgery. The recordings can be analyzed through special computer programs to obtain detailed numerical data regarding your voice, referred to as acoustic voice analysis.

How Long Does Voice Surgery Take?

Surgeries applied for benign diseases of the vocal cord are called phonomicrosurgery. Voice surgery is performed under a microscope from within the mouth, and under general anesthesia. For an experienced surgeon and a patient without any clinical issues, the average duration of the surgery is about one hour. This time includes the period for the patient to fall asleep and wake up. In cases of malignant diseases such as voice cord cancer, the duration of the surgery varies based on the extent of the disease and the size of the planned surgery.

How Long Is the Hospital Stay After Voice Surgery?

For surgeries performed for limited, benign diseases of the vocal cords such as vocal cord polyps, nodules, edema (Reinke's edema), cysts, granulomas, and sulcus vocalis, patients typically do not need to stay in the hospital after voice cord surgery. After voice surgery, and more importantly after anesthesia, the patient can usually go home under the supervision of their companion after a follow-up period of about 6 hours.

Can I Speak Immediately After Voice Cord Surgery?

Similar to surgeries performed in other areas of the body, the vocal cords need to rest after voice surgery. For this reason, based on the information obtained during the surgery, we generally request our patients to avoid making any sounds for a few days (3-7 days). This period is referred to as "complete voice rest" or "absolute voice rest". During this time, making sounds such as whispering, throat clearing, or coughing is crucial for achieving the best possible voice quality post-surgery.

Is Surgery the Only Option for Voice Cord Diseases?

No. For some voice cord disorders, voice surgery may yield the highest benefit, while some disorders may benefit from voice therapy and medical (medication) treatments.