Do vocal cord polyps require surgery?

Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
Updated on February 16, 2025
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Vocal cord polyps are benign proliferative lesions that occur on the surface mucous membrane of both vocal cords, and are also a type of chronic laryngitis. The main clinical manifestation is a hoarse voice, and it is very rare for it to become malignant. Factors such as improper vocal use due to professional reasons, respiratory infections, and other irritative factors can lead to vocal cord polyps. At this point, vocal cord polyps require surgical treatment; by surgically removing the proliferative polypoid tissue, the patient's voice can be restored and persistent hoarseness can be avoided. Additionally, after surgery, voice rest is necessary to help the healing of the vocal cord mucosal epithelium.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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What are the symptoms of vocal cord polyps?

Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common ENT disorder. Small vocal cord polyps may not show obvious clinical symptoms and are often discovered only during a physical examination or laryngoscopy. However, larger vocal cord polyps can cause noticeable clinical symptoms, most commonly hoarseness. The hoarseness can be recurrent or persistent and may worsen with excessive use of the voice. Some patients may also experience a foreign body sensation in the throat or throat pain, which is primarily considered to be caused by vocal cord polyps accompanied by chronic pharyngitis. A laryngoscopy can provide a definitive diagnosis.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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How long does it take to wake up from general anesthesia for vocal cord polyps?

Vocal cord polyps are common and frequently occurring clinical benign tumors located on the vocal cords. Clinically, the main treatment is the removal of the vocal cord polyps under a microscope-assisted laryngoscope, performed under general anesthesia. Currently, our control technique for general anesthesia is very refined, and the surgery for vocal cord polyps generally takes about 15 minutes. After these 15 minutes, our patients gradually regain consciousness. Therefore, patients undergoing general anesthesia for vocal cord polyp surgery can progressively wake up after the surgery is complete. This is achievable due to our current precise control techniques in anesthesia and medication management, allowing patients to awaken promptly after the surgery.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Early symptoms of recurrent vocal cord polyps

Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common otolaryngological disease. If vocal cord polyps recur, they can cause related clinical symptoms, the most common being a hoarse voice. Some patients experience persistent hoarseness, while others have sporadic hoarseness. Moreover, the hoarseness generally becomes more pronounced after excessive use of the voice. In terms of treatment, the first step is to visit an otolaryngologist. It is recommended to undergo a laryngoscopy to examine the size of the polyp in detail. If the polyp is relatively small, conservative treatment may be considered, commonly involving oral medication combined with nebulization therapy. However, if the polyp is particularly large, surgery might be necessary.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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How long should one rest their voice for vocal cord polyps?

Vocal cord polyps are a common and frequent disease in otolaryngology. The main symptoms of vocal cord polyps in patients are usually hoarseness and vocal fatigue. Diagnosis can be confirmed through examination methods such as electronic laryngoscopy or indirect laryngoscopy. The primary treatment for vocal cord polyps is surgical removal of the polyp tissue to restore normal vocal function. After the surgery for vocal cord polyps, it is generally recommended that patients refrain from speaking for three to four weeks to promote the repair of the vocal cord mucosa and avoid congestion and swelling of the local mucosa due to excessive voicing or overuse, which can affect the recovery time or degree of recovery and are likely to lead to recurrence in patients.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Why does vocal cord polyp surgery require general anesthesia?

Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common type of ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) disorder. For larger polyps where conservative treatment with medication is ineffective, surgical treatment should be considered. Currently, the main surgical procedure is the excision of vocal cord polyps under a supported laryngoscope, which requires general anesthesia. This is because the procedure is difficult for patients to endure without general anesthesia, as the supported laryngoscope is a type of metal tube that needs to be inserted through the mouth into the pharynx. Local anesthesia would be insufficient as patients might struggle to cooperate and tolerate the pain or nausea, hence general anesthesia is necessary for the surgery.