Restore Clarity to Your Hoarse and Cracked Voice: Vocal Cord Nodule, Polyp, and Cyst Surgery
Whether you're a teacher, call center employee, lawyer, or singer... whatever your profession, your voice is your greatest signature. We treat vocal cord problems caused by improper use, such as calluses (nodules), sudden bleeding polyps, or cysts, using non-surgical, highly precise microsurgical techniques (phonosurgery). Our goal is not just to get rid of the mass; it's to permanently restore your voice to its former smooth, powerful, and tireless tone.
What are vocal cord lesions and what causes them?
Our vocal cords are two thin bands of muscle covered in a very sensitive mucosa, located at the entrance of the trachea, that produce our voice by vibrating. Constantly using our voice at a high pitch, shouting for long periods, or speaking with incorrect technique causes these cords to collide very hard against each other. This constant trauma results in calluses, similar to the calluses that form on our hands from working overtime. Nodules It appears. Suddenly, very loud shouting (cheerleading at a match, etc.), violent coughing, or smoking can cause blisters filled with fluid or blood to form on the wires. To polyps It leads to. Cysts These are cysts that form due to the blockage of the vocal cords and grow inside the string. All these masses prevent the strings from closing completely, disrupt vibration, and cause hoarseness, cracking, and fatigue in the voice. The procedure of cleaning these lesions with millimeter precision, entirely through the mouth with a microscope, without making any incisions in the neck, is called "Phonosurgery" (Voice Surgery).
- Those whose voices become completely hoarse towards the end of the day, who experience sore throats and fatigue while speaking.
- Those who use their voice professionally and intensively (teachers, call center specialists, artists)
- Patients whose voice is consistently hoarse, rough, muffled, or in two different tones (diplophonia)
- Those who constantly feel a tickling sensation, a catching in their throat, and the need to clear their throat while speaking.
- Cases where nodules do not shrink and the voice does not improve despite proper voice usage training (voice therapy)
Success in voice surgery lies in flawlessly protecting that delicate mucosa.
The vocal cords are one of the most delicate and difficult-to-repair vibrating tissues in the human body. When performing surgery for nodules or polyps, the biggest challenge for an ENT specialist is to avoid damaging the thin, healthy membrane (mucosa) beneath the nodule that gives life to the voice. At Dr. Nurten Küçük, my golden rule in Phonosurgery (Voice Surgery) is to work with one-tenth of a millimeter precision, using special cold-tipped micro-instruments without making any incisions in the neck. Our goal is not just to remove the nodule; it is to enable the patient to return to their profession, stage, and social life with a clear, smooth voice, and with much more confidence than before.
Scarless Microsurgery (Phonosurgery)
The surgery is performed under general anesthesia, entirely through the mouth using a special tube (laryngoscope). There are no visible surgical scars. Under a microscope, the mass on the vocal cords is magnified and gently peeled away without damaging the surrounding healthy tissues.
Absolute Sound Rest
The most important half of a successful operation is the postoperative recovery process. To ensure perfect vocal cord healing and a smooth scar, patients are usually given "absolute vocal rest" for 3 to 7 days after the procedure, during which even whispering is forbidden.
Lasting Results with Voice Therapy
The main cause of nodules or polyps is "incorrect voice usage". To prevent the recurrence of these same mistakes and the recurrence of the mass after surgery, the process must be complemented by professional voice therapy (correct breathing and speech training) in the post-operative period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all vocal cord nodules need to be surgically removed?
No, absolutely not. Especially for newly formed, fresh, and soft nodules, the initial treatment is never surgical. Most of these soft nodules disappear completely with "Voice Therapy," which teaches the patient proper voice use, and voice rest. However, for nodules that have hardened (calloused) over months/years, or for polyps filled with blood, therapy is ineffective; the only solution is to remove that tissue using delicate microsurgery.
Will my voice change after the surgery, will it sound like someone else's?
In experienced hands, a phonosurgery performed with microscopic precision will not change the fundamental characteristics of your voice (that unique tone). However, since the mass (nodule/polyp) is removed from the vocal cord, your hoarse, cracked, muffled, and air-leaking voice from before the surgery will disappear, and your healthy, clear, and powerful voice from your youth will return.
Why am I not allowed to speak even in a whisper after the surgery?
Whispering puts much more strain and tension on the throat and vocal cords than normal speaking. For the surgical area (wound) to close smoothly, the vocal cords must not collide with each other at all; they must remain completely immobile. This 3-7 day vow of silence is the most important guarantee of that perfect voice. During this period, your communication should be limited to pen and paper or a phone screen.
Does smoking affect the formation of polyps or cysts?
Yes, it has very serious effects. Cigarette smoke causes chronic burns (irritation) and edema (fluid accumulation) on the vocal cords. This leads to what we call "Reinke's edema," where the entire vocal cord swells like jelly, or polyps may develop. Furthermore, hoarseness seen in smokers may not be due to a simple polyp, but rather vocal cord cancer (malignancy). Therefore, any smoker experiencing hoarseness lasting more than 15 days should undergo an urgent endoscopic examination.
Take the first step towards an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.
For an initial consultation, examination, and personalized treatment plan, please contact us immediately.