Contact granuloma are benign mass lesions located at the posterior part of the vocal fold. Frequently, contact granuloma are caused by excessive pressure between the arytenoid cartilages necessary for voice production (mostly it is the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage). Although a contact granuloma is not malignant, it can cause a severe handicap by pain, foreign body feeling, and sometimes hoarseness.
Because contact granuloma might recur frequently, co-factors such as reflux, inadequate voice technique or vocal fold bowing should be ruled out. We recommend phonomicrosurgical removal with high precision instruments or specialized fiber-guided laser surgery. Botulinum toxin might also help. In most cases after adequate microsurgery and therapy, contact granuloma will not recur again.