Numerous voice prostheses have been developed since the early eighties. The device, located in the tracheo-esophageal wall, can generate local complications. The most frequent and the hardest to treat is peri-prosthetic salivary leakage.
Objective: To present a new management scheme for peri-prosthetic salivary leakage by BIOPLASTIQUE injection.
Patients and method: Five patients, with residual peri-prosthetic salivary leakage after different treatments were managed by peri-prosthetic injection of BIOPLASTIQUE, a medical silicone elastomere. The injection was performed under general anesthesia in four points around the prosthesis: above, below, left and right.
Results: Leakage disappeared after one or two injections in all patients. No technical problem was encountered.
Conclusion: Although this method still has to pass the test of time, our preliminary results are encouraging. Such a procedure could be performed under local anesthesia in order to minimize its cost.