Researchers at McGill University have created a new gel that may help treat people with damaged vocal cords. This new material shows early promise as a way to help heal voice loss caused by injuries or scarring.
Voice loss is often permanent when scarring forms on the vocal cords. Existing treatments involve injecting materials into the vocal cords, but these materials break down quickly, which means patients often need to go through the procedure again and again. Unfortunately, repeated treatments can make the delicate vocal cord tissue even worse.
In a recent preclinical study published in the journal Biomaterials, scientists found that their new gel stayed in place for weeks during lab and animal tests. That’s much longer than current treatments and gives the vocal cords more time to heal properly.
The gel is made from natural proteins found in body tissue. These proteins are first turned into a powder and then made into a gel. To make the gel more durable, the researchers used a special method called “click chemistry.” This method works like a strong glue, holding the material together so it doesn’t fall apart quickly after being injected.
“What makes our approach special is the use of click chemistry,” said Professor Maryam Tabrizian, one of the lead researchers and an expert in nanomedicine at McGill. “It locks the gel in place, which helps it stay in the body longer.”
Vocal cord injuries are common, especially in older adults who suffer from acid reflux or smoke, and in people who use their voices for work—like singers, teachers, and radio hosts. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, about one in 13 adults has a voice disorder each year.
Professor Nicole Li-Jessen, another senior researcher on the project and also a pianist who works with singers, understands how serious voice loss can be. “People don’t realize how important their voice is until they lose it,” she said. “It can really hurt a person’s mental health and quality of life, especially for those who depend on their voice for work.”
The research team’s next step is to test the gel in computer models that mimic the human body. If those tests go well, they plan to move forward with trials in humans. If successful, this could lead to a new, less invasive, and longer-lasting way to treat voice loss and help many people regain their voices.
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The study is published in Biomaterials.
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