Thyroplasty using a silicone elastomer implant.

Silicone has been used in a variety of forms as a replacement for soft tissue for more than three decades in the United States. The safety of this practice has come under scrutiny recently as our knowledge of the local, systemic, and immune effects of silicone has expanded. Contrary to what was once thought, silicone is not biologically inert. Silicone elastomer, however, has not been implicated in the development of systemic immune disease or carcinogenesis. The evidence to date supports the continued use of silicone elastomer implants in the larynx. It is clear, however, that continued investigation into the basic biologic properties and mechanisms of the host-silicone implant interaction is warranted.