Vocal Cords News and Research

RSS

The vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx. They vibrate, modulating the flow of air being expelled from the lungs during phonation.

University of Bonn researchers find way to stimulate larynx muscles using light

Researchers at the University of Bonn have found a way to stimulate the larynx muscles of mice using light. In the long term, this method could be an option for the treatment of laryngeal paralysis, which causes difficulties in phonation and breathing. Their findings will be published in the scientific journal "Nature Communications."

3 Jun 2015

Groundbreaking study looks at how puberty affects voice changes in male singers

The first round of tests have been completed for members of the Cincinnati Boychoir who are part of a joint study with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to look at the changing voices of male singers.

17 Apr 2015

New study reveals eight highly specific physical signs associated with death in cancer patients

While the diagnosis of an impending death is always sad, it can be important for patients, families, and clinicians as they make decisions related to hospital discharge, hospice referral, and treatments. Now a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, has revealed eight highly specific physical signs associated with death within three days in cancer patients.

10 Feb 2015

Researchers identify physical, cognitive signs associated with imminent death in patients with cancer

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified eight highly specific physical and cognitive signs associated with imminent death in cancer patients. The findings, published in the journal Cancer, could offer clinicians the ability to better communicate with patients and families.

9 Feb 2015

Surgeons use Cyberknife robotic device for treatment of vocal cord cancer

Stephen Wiley, a lifelong cowboy from Terrell, has helped UT Southwestern Medical Center pioneer a new treatment for vocal cord cancer. Mr. Wiley volunteered to be the world's first known patient to be treated for vocal cord cancer with Cyberknife, a surgeon-controlled robotic device that destroys tumors with highly precise doses of radiation.

4 Apr 2014

Research: Beatboxing may be gentler on injury-prone vocal cords

You might think that beatboxing, with its harsh, high-energy percussive sounds, would be harder on the voice than the sweet song of a soprano. But according to new research by voice expert Dr. H. Steven Sims of the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, beatboxing may actually be gentler on the injury-prone vocal cords. His findings were published Dec. 23 online in the Journal of Voice.

24 Dec 2013

Athletes with vocal cord disorder inappropriately treated for exercise-induced asthma

Athletes with a vocal cord disorder that restricts breathing are more likely to be misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated for exercise-induced asthma, according to research presented today at the Triological Society's 116th Annual Meeting.

15 Apr 2013

Salivary duct access products launched by Cook Medical to offer minimally invasive options for obstructive salivary gland disease

Cook Medical has launched a suite of salivary duct access products that offer minimally invasive options for the treatment of obstructive salivary gland disease. Minimally invasive treatment of obstructive salivary gland disease can reduce the need for invasive open surgery.

18 Mar 2013

Conditionally reprogrammed cells help identify effective therapy for HPV-positive RRP

Using a newly discovered cell technology, Georgetown University Medical Center researchers were able to identify an effective therapy for a patient with a rare type of lung tumor. The single case study, reported in the September 27 issue of New England Journal of Medicine, provides a snapshot of the new technology's promising potential; however, researchers strongly caution that it could be years before validation studies are completed and regulatory approval received for its broader use.

28 Sep 2012

Report illustrates safety and efficacy of transoral robotic surgery for supraglottic laryngectomy

Robotic surgery though the mouth is a safe and effective way to remove tumors of the throat and voice box, according to a study by head and neck cancer surgeons at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

27 Sep 2012

Prevalence MRSA laryngitis may be underestimated

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus laryngitis may be more common than previously suspected, a new case series suggests.

17 Sep 2012

Gibbons use same vocal techniques as professional soprano singers

Have you ever heard an opera singing ape? Researchers in Japan have discovered that singing gibbons use the same vocal techniques as professional soprano singers. The study, published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, explains how recording gibbons singing under the influence of helium gas reveals a physiological similarity to human voices.

24 Aug 2012

Researchers develop small endoscopic device fitted with femtosecond laser scalpel

Whether surgeons slice with a traditional scalpel or cut away with a surgical laser, most medical operations end up removing some healthy tissue, along with the bad. This means that for delicate areas like the brain, throat, and digestive tract, physicians and patients have to balance the benefits of treatment against possible collateral damage.

24 Apr 2012

Crispy brand cookies may contain undeclared allergens, warns FDA

TWI Foods Inc. is voluntarily recalling several varieties of Crispy brand cookies and rusk. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) along with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and TWI Foods Inc., are warning people with allergies to milk or almonds not to consume Crispy brand cookie and rusk products. The affected products contain almonds and/or milk which are not clearly declared on the label.

6 Apr 2012

National Colon Cancer Awareness Month attempts to widen screening efforts

March is the National Colon Cancer Awareness Month and to mark it Ferrell Hospital and Harrisburg Medical Center have teamed up with the American Cancer Society to provide free take-home colon cancer tests to anyone who is interested.

25 Mar 2012

Biologists identify how and where the brain processes FM sweeps

In both animals and humans, vocal signals used for communication contain a wide array of different sounds that are determined by the vibrational frequencies of vocal cords. For example, the pitch of someone's voice, and how it changes as they are speaking, depends on a complex series of varying frequencies. Knowing how the brain sorts out these different frequencies-which are called frequency-modulated (FM) sweeps-is believed to be essential to understanding many hearing-related behaviors, like speech.

9 Mar 2012

Pediatricians warn about hazards of button batteries

With the increasing production of electronic products in the consumer market, more button batteries are found in the home setting. From remote controls and watches to musical greeting cards and toys, these small, shiny objects are the perfect size for a curious child to swallow or even push into their nasal cavity or ear canal. It is important for parents to be aware of the dangers that button batteries pose to young children and the damage that these batteries can cause.

23 Nov 2011