Operations on the vocal folds

Hoarseness that lasts longer than four weeks should be clarified by an ear, nose and throat specialist.

Hoarseness is often caused by an inflammatory disease of the vocal folds or a change in the growth of one or both vocal folds. A distinction must be made between benign and malignant neoplasms. To ensure that no malignant disease is present, it is also advisable to take a tissue sample of the vocal fold under anesthesia. This requires an operation under anesthesia, as a special instrument is inserted into the larynx via the mouth. Using a surgical microscope, the surgeon carefully removes the changes on the vocal folds while protecting the vocal fold muscles. The tissue is removed and sent for histological examination. The procedure can be performed on an inpatient or outpatient basis.