Vocal fold (VF) scarring is one of the main causes of permanent dysphonia and results from injury to the unique layered structure of the VFs. The increased collagen and decreased hyaluronic acid within VF scars lead to a loss of pliability and significantly decreases the VFs’ capacity to vibrate. At present, there is no definitive treatment for VF scarring, and regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have become increasingly important research areas in otolaryngology. Several recent reviews have described the problem of VF scarring and various possible solutions, including tissue-engineered cells and tissues, biomaterial implants, stem cells, growth factors, anti-inflammatory cytokines, and anti-fibrotic agents. However, despite considerable research progress, such technical advances have yet to be established as routine clinical procedures. This review focuses on the emerging techniques for restoring VF pliability using several approaches. We also identified obstacles to advances in research in this field.
