Adipose stromal cells improve healing of vocal fold scar: Morphological and functional evidences.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Adipose derived stromal cells (ASCs) are abundant and easy to prepare. Such cells may be useful for treating severe vocal disturbance caused by acute vocal fold scars. STUDY DESIGN Prospective animal experiments with controls. METHODS Twenty New-Zealand white rabbits were used in the present study. We evaluated vocal fold healing, with or without injection of autologous ASCs, after acute scarring. A defined lesion was created and the ASCs were immediately injected. Vocal fold regeneration was evaluated histomorphometrically and via viscoelastic analysis using an electrodynamic shaker. RESULTS Six weeks after ASC injection, vocal folds exhibited significantly less inflammation than control folds (P < 0.005). In addition, hypertrophy of the lamina propria and fibrosis were significantly reduced upon ASC injection (P < 0.02). The decrease in viscoelastic parameters was less important in the ASC injected group compared to the noninjected group (P = 0.08). CONCLUSION Injection of autologous ASCs improved vocal fold healing in our preclinical model. Further studies are needed, but this method may be useful in humans. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA. Laryngoscope, 126:E278-E285, 2016.