Vocal fold furrows. A 10-year review of 240 patients.

A retrospective review of 240 patients with vocal fold furrows seen at the Department of Otolaryngology, Kurume University Hospital over the 10-year period from 1971 to 1980 was completed. Of the 240 patients, 173 were male and 67 were female. In 195 patients, the furrows were the major pathology causing hoarseness; in 29, the furrows were associated with other major laryngeal diseases; and, in 16, there were no voice problems. We call the first group "sulcus vocalis" in this paper. The onset of voice problems in the cases of sulcus vocalis was at the age of 40 years or older in most case, at young childhood in some, and at adolescence in some cases. Typical findings of sulcus vocalis consisted of bilateral furrows on the vocal fold edges extending over the entire length of the membranous portion, bowed vocal fold edges, glottic incompetence during phonation and excessive ventricular fold adduction. No effective treatments have been established.