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. 2025 Aug;282(8):4155-4164.
doi: 10.1007/s00405-025-09470-1. Epub 2025 May 30.

Voice rest after vocal fold surgery: a systematic review of efficacy, duration, and compliance

A Aldaihani  1 , V Kuta  2 , U Alamodi  3 , A AlAfif  2 , A AlSayed  4
Affiliations

Voice rest after vocal fold surgery: a systematic review of efficacy, duration, and compliance

A Aldaihani et al. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Vocal rest (VR) is frequently recommended to promote healing and prevent further trauma following vocal cord surgery, despite limited empirical evidence supporting this practice. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VR in facilitating recovery and improving outcomes after vocal cord surgery.

Methods: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing VR versus no VR after vocal cord surgery was conducted. Two independent reviewers screened studies from PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, and Google Scholar using predefined search terms, including "vocal rest after vocal cord surgery," "vocal rest versus no rest after vocal cord surgery," and "voice rest after laryngeal surgery." Inter-reviewer agreement was assessed using the kappa statistic. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed for key outcomes, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for voice quality and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI).

Results: Of the 275 articles identified, only 5 met the inclusion criteria. The duration of VR varied from 3 to 7 days, depending on surgeons' preferences and clinical experience. Results demonstrated significant improvements in both VAS and VHI scores after surgery with VR compared to no VR. However, heterogeneity in study designs and sample sizes limited the generalizability of these findings.

Conclusion: While VR appears to enhance postoperative recovery and subjective voice quality following vocal cord surgery, the current evidence base remains insufficient to establish VR as a definitive component of postoperative care. Larger, multicenter RCTs are needed to elucidate the role of VR in vocal wound healing and to develop evidence-based guidelines.

Keywords: Laryngeal surgery; No vocal rest; Phonomicrosurgery; Vocal cord surgery; Vocal rest; Wound healing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical statement: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the highest ethical standards in medical research and publication. The study adhered to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and followed the guidelines established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). As this study is a systematic review of previously published literature, no new human or animal subjects were involved. All data analyzed in this review were obtained from publicly available sources, including peer-reviewed journals and reputable scientific databases. Ethical approval from an institutional review board (IRB) was not required. Conflicts of interest: We have ensured objectivity and transparency in the selection, evaluation, and synthesis of the included studies, minimizing any potential bias. Efforts were made to accurately represent the findings of previous research without distortion or selective reporting. Additionally, all authors have disclosed any potential conflicts of interest and have followed the highest standards of integrity in research and publication.

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