2013 Volume 64 Issue 3 Pages 182-188
Laryngeal granuloma is a space-occupying lesion due to nonspecific inflammation in the larynx. It usually appears at the posterior portion of the vocal cord, especially at the vocal process of arytenoid cartilage. Although tracheal intubation, cough, acid reflux, or vocal abuse might be causes for developing laryngeal granuloma, the precise cause in individual cases is not always clear. A number of treatments have been tried for laryngeal granuloma, but we have often experienced cases that show no clear response to conventional treatment. In the present study, the treatment courses in 30 cases were analyzed retrospectively to evaluate treatment efficacy.
Various treatments were selected depending on the lesion condition. The overall cure rate of laryngeal granuloma was 69.6%, a figure consistent with previous reports. There were several cases that resisted conventional treatment but that were subsequently successfully treated by voice therapy. The findings in the present study suggest that control of acid reflux in combination with voice therapy including voice hygiene, is effective for laryngeal granuloma accompanied by vocal abuse or hypertonic phonation.
