My Voice
How Do I know If Need To Consider Treatment For My Voice?
Voice issues sometimes occur but if you are experiencing symptoms that persist or even seem to be getting worse treatment may be required.
- A weak or airy quality to your voice
- Difficulty or inability to increase your voice volume
- Difficulties in breathing and/or swallowing
- Difficulties in swallowing resulting in choking
- Persistent feeling of something in your throat
Symptoms like the ones described above could be an indication of other health concerns including the possibility of throat cancer. Because these issues may have serious health implications, you should see your physician for evaluation.
Whom Do I See For Persistent Issues With My Voice?
An Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) physician, also know as an otolaryngologist, will conduct an exam to evaluate whether your voice issues are of a serious nature and need medical treatment. This process will include exploring your medical history, and a physical exam of your vocal folds. Vocal fold examination can be as simple as looking into your throat with a small mirror and may also include looking closer with a camera tube that is passed through the nose known as an endoscope. If an endoscope is used, your throat is numbed to provide you comfort during the vocal exercises so your physician can see your vocal folds in motion.
If Treatment Is Needed What Choices Do I Have?
If your medical exam resulted in insufficient vocal fold performance, then your physician may consider one or more treatment choices.
- Seeing a speech-language pathologist to assist in better voice control
- Surgery may be indicated to move the vocal folds closer together
- Injection therapy using Renú® Voice and/or Renú® Gel to bring the vocal folds closer together for non-permanent restoration and augmentation.
- Treatment can be completed as an in-office or surgical procedure where local anesthesia is not required but may be utilized at the injection site.
Vocal Fold Inspiration
Vocal Fold Phonation
Attempted Phonation
with Compromised Vocal Fold
My Options
What Are Renú® Voice And Renú® Gel?
Renú® Voice and Renú® Gel is are both injectable implants. Renú® Voice contains microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA), a biocompatible material, suspended in a hydrogel carrier. Renú® Voice and Renú® Gel are both designed to replace volume loss in the tissue of your vocal folds. These injections assist in bringing the folds closer together which aid in the restoration of your voice for both short and long-term non-permanent restoration and augmentation.
What Will I Experience During And After My Renú® Voice And/or Renú® Gel Procedure?
In most cases, the Renú® Voice and/or Renú® Gel procedure will be performed in a physician’s office or treatment clinic. Patients will be made comfortable with the use of either a topical or local anesthetic for the treatment. This process takes about 15 – 20 minutes. During which time patients may be asked by their doctor to make sounds to assess the improvement of their vocal quality.
For Renú® injection procedures, there is no traditional recovery period. Your physician may ask you to refrain from talking post-procedure and suggest voice rest for a few days. This will vary based on patient’s condition and treatment needs. Few side effects have been reported and those that are reported tend to center on side effects associated with injected implants. Tenderness and mild swelling at the injection site are commonly reported.
Is Surgery a Better Option?
Only your physician should make the evaluation and recommendation for surgery. Injection therapy using Renú® Voice and Renú® Gel can be completed as an in-office or surgical procedure where local anesthesia is not required, but may be utilized at the injection site. Delivery of treatment can be completed percutaneously or transorally. If surgery is required, it does demand that you go to an operating room and receive general anesthesia and recovery.
What Are My Next Steps?
Schedule a time to talk to your physician about Renú® Voice and/or Renú® Gel to see if vocal fold injections are the right option for you.
My Questions
What Is The Recovery Period For The Procedure?
Since Renú® Voice and/or Renú® Gel implantation is typically done in your physician’s office under local or topical anesthetic, there is no traditional recovery period. Your physician may ask you to refrain from talking post-procedure and suggest voice rest for a few days. This will vary based on patient’s condition and treatment needs.
Will The Renú® Voice Or Renú® Gel Injection Hurt?
Your physician will provide either a local or topical anesthetic prior to the start of your procedure to make you as comfortable as possible. Your physician may ask you to perform a few vocal exercises to assist during your treatment which may cause discomfort.
Should I Expect Side Effects From This Procedure?
Few side effects have been reported and those that are tend to center on those associated with injected implants. Tenderness and mild swelling at the injection site are commonly reported.
Will The Renú® Voice And Renú® Gel Product Last Forever?
No, Renú® Voice and Renú® Gel treatments should provide patients lasting results for non-permanent restoration and augmentation of vocal folds. Results vary from patient to patient. The Renú® Voice product is long-lasting where the gel carrier is absorbed more quickly than the particles which breakdown gradually over in the implantation period. With Renú® Gel product being a hydrogel without particles, the treatment has a shorter implantation period.
- Typical Renú® Voice vocal fold implant can be expected to last from 9 to 18 months
- Typical Renú® Gel vocal fold implant can be expected to last from 10 to 14 weeks
What Is In The Renú® Voice And Renú® Gel Product?
Renú® Voice is a hydrogel in which tiny synthetic particles of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) are suspended. The particles and gel are designed to be biocompatible with your body so that you tolerate the product well during and after the procedure. Since the CaHA particles take longer for the body to metabolize, a Renú® Voice implant has a longer implantation period.
Renú® Gel is a hydrogel. The gel is designed to be biocompatible with your body so that you tolerate the product well during and after the procedure. Since the hydrogel does not contain the CaHA particles, a Renú® Gel implant has a shorter implantation period.
Are Renú® Voice And Renú® Gel Cleared By The FDA?
Yes, Renú® Voice and Renú® Gel are cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for vocal fold injection augmentation.