Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40447797›Full record

SynthesisEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2025

Voice rest after vocal fold surgery: a systematic review of efficacy, duration, and compliance.

A Aldaihani, V Kuta, U Alamodi, A AlAfif, A AlSayed

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Perspectives in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

A AldaihaniDepartment of Surgery, Dalhousie University, 5820 University Avenue, 3Rd Floor Dickson Building, Room 3184, Halifax, NS, B3H 2Y9, Canada. aldaihani@dal.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-9766-0564
V KutaDepartment of Surgery, Dalhousie University, 5820 University Avenue, 3Rd Floor Dickson Building, Room 3184, Halifax, NS, B3H 2Y9, Canada.
U AlamodiAdventHealth Center, Orlando, Florida, USA.
A AlAfifDepartment of Surgery, Dalhousie University, 5820 University Avenue, 3Rd Floor Dickson Building, Room 3184, Halifax, NS, B3H 2Y9, Canada.
A AlSayedKing Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVocal rest (VR) is frequently recommended to promote healing and prevent further trauma following vocal cord surgery, despite limited empirical evidence supporting this practice. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VR in facilitating recovery and improving outcomes after vocal cord surgery.

methodsA systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing VR versus no VR after vocal cord surgery was conducted. Two independent reviewers screened studies from PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, and Google Scholar using predefined search terms, including "vocal rest after vocal cord surgery," "vocal rest versus no rest after vocal cord surgery," and "voice rest after laryngeal surgery." Inter-reviewer agreement was assessed using the kappa statistic. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed for key outcomes, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for voice quality and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI).

resultsOf the 275 articles identified, only 5 met the inclusion criteria. The duration of VR varied from 3 to 7 days, depending on surgeons' preferences and clinical experience. Results demonstrated significant improvements in both VAS and VHI scores after surgery with VR compared to no VR. However, heterogeneity in study designs and sample sizes limited the generalizability of these findings.

conclusionWhile VR appears to enhance postoperative recovery and subjective voice quality following vocal cord surgery, the current evidence base remains insufficient to establish VR as a definitive component of postoperative care. Larger, multicenter RCTs are needed to elucidate the role of VR in vocal wound healing and to develop evidence-based guidelines.

Indexed as

Vocal Cord ParalysisVocal CordsVoice QualityHumansPatient ComplianceRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRestTreatment OutcomeLaryngeal surgeryNo vocal restPhonomicrosurgeryVocal cord surgeryVocal restWound healing

Identifiers

PMID40447797

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.