Medical and Surgical Treatments for Voice Problems

Depending on the type of voice condition you have, experts at the UPMC Voice Center will decide if you need medical or surgical treatment.

Access to the UPMC Adult Airway Clinic

At the UPMC Adult Airway Clinic, we diagnose and treat adults with complex upper airway stenosis.

Common treatments include:

• Subglottic stenosis
• Posterior glottis stenosis
• Tracheomalacia
• Complex tracheotomy care

We can also perform awake bronchoscopy in the office to provide dynamic upper airway evaluation.

Botulinum Toxin Injections

Voice Center doctors use botulinum toxin injections to treat:

• Spasmodic dysphonia
• Essential tremor of voice
• Other neurologic disorders of the larynx, head, and neck

We give these shots in the office and results last about three months.

Vocal Fold Injections

For people with glottal incompetence (when the vocal folds do not come together completely), short- and long-term injections can help improve symptoms.

At the UPMC Voice Center, we can perform this while you're asleep under general anesthesia or awake under local anesthesia.

People who have awake vocal fold injections may drive themselves to and from the office for convenience.

Laryngeal Laser Procedures

Doctors at the UPMC Voice Center offer an array of laser treatments — including KTP and CO2 laser — to address certain laryngeal disorders, such as:

• Dysplasia
• Leukoplakia
• Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP)
• Reinke’s edema
• Vascular lesions

We traditionally perform laryngeal laser procedures in the operating room. But for certain patients, we can treat them safely and successfully in the office.

Make an Appointment at the Voice Center

To make an appointment or learn more about any of our services, contact the UPMC Voice Center at 412-232-SING (7464).

Learn More About Voice Disorders

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From UPMC's HealthBeat Blog:

• Don’t Lose Your Voice: Common Problems and Treatment

From the Voice Foundation:

• Voice Anatomy & Physiology
• Voice Disorder Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention

From our Health Library:

• Voice Problems
• Bronchoscopy
• Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing)