Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment of Voice Disorders

Objectives. Vocal tremor is a common, troublesome disorder that is difficult to treat. Efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) was reported more than a decade ago. Most laryngologists are not familiar with the technique or its potential. This review was undertaken to assemble relevant literature written over the past decade and assess the clinical implications of that literature. Design. Literature review. Methods. PubMed search from 2002 through 2011. Results. A small number of articles on the topic have been identified, some of which appear to provide information of potential clinical importance for voice patients. Conclusion. A review of the literature from 2002 through 2011 has revealed several studies supporting the efficacy of DBS as well as adverse consequences of specific technical approaches (such as high-frequency DBS). In the aging population, the prevalence of this voice tremor is likely to increase. We suspect that DBS may be underused; and laryngologists should collaborate with neurosurgeons, speech-language pathologists, and voice scientists to study more extensively the safety and efficacy of DBS for treatment of voice disorders.