Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Vocal Fold Scarring: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies

OBJECTIVES: Therapy with mesenchymal stem cells exhibits potential for the development of novel interventions for many diseases and injuries. The use of mesenchymal stem cells in regenerative therapy for vocal fold scarring exhibited promising results to reduce stiffness and enhance the biomechanical properties of injured vocal folds. This study evaluated the biomechanical effects of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the treatment of vocal fold scarring. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar were searched. METHODS: Controlled studies that assessed the biomechanical effects of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the treatment of vocal fold scarring were included. Primary outcomes were viscoelastic properties and mucosal wave amplitude. RESULTS: Seven preclinical animal studies (n = 152 single vocal folds) were eligible for inclusion. Evaluation of viscoelastic parameters revealed a decreased dynamic viscosity (η’) and elastic modulus (G’), i.e., decreased resistance and stiffness, in scarred vocal folds treated with mesenchymal stem cells compared to non-treated scarred vocal folds. Mucosal wave amplitude was increased in scarred vocal folds treated with mesenchymal stem cells vs. non-treated scarred vocal folds. CONCLUSION: The results from these studies suggest an increased regenerative effect of therapy with mesenchymal stem cells for scarred vocal folds and are encouraging for further clinical studies.