CompletedPhase 1

Pilot Study of Stem Cell Treatment of Patients With Vocal Fold Scarring

Sweden16 participantsStarted 2012-01

Plain-language summary

This is a pilot-study of 16 selected Swedish patients which all have severe hoarseness or aphonia due to vocal fold scarring (from previous surgery, radiation therapy, inflammation or possibly hereditary). The patients are operated with phonomicrosurgical dissection of the scarred vocal folds, removal or scar tissue and injection of autologous mesenchymal stroma cells, aMSC (which were previously harvested from each patients´s bone marrow, purified, expanded and characterized according to standard procedure at the Center of Hematology and Regenerative Medicine Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge). 8 Patients is planned to be treated with a single injection of aMSC and 8 patients with injection of aMSC mixed with a carrier hyaluronan gel developed at Uppsala University Sweden and at the Karolinska Institute. The laryngeal status, vocal fold function, and voice function will be followed individually with an advanced battery of examinations performed before and up to 1 year postoperatively. Side effects and complications are noted and reported during surgery and following surgery at regular intervals during at least 1 year Since spring 2015 no new patients have been recruited and no treatments are given during 2016 or 2017. The monitoring authority was changed from Swedish National Board of Health to Swedish Medical Product Agency (MPA) in March/April 2016. Further inclusions and treatments are postponed until permission is granted from MPA to continue the study.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * severe hoarseness * vocal fold scarring * no active other treatment * age above 18 years Exclusion Criteria: * active treatment of laryngeal disorder * active inflammatory condition of the larynx * diagnosed or suspicions of local malignancy

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Improved healing of scarred vocal folds

Timeframe: 1 year postoperatively

Trial details

NCT IDNCT01981330

SponsorKarolinska University Hospital

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2020-02-24

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Improved Healing of Scarred Vocal Folds trials