What is thyroid chondroplasty?
Surgical reduction of the size of the laryngeal prominence (Adam's apple).
It's also known as Tracheal shave, Chondrolaryngoplasty, or Thyroid cartilage reduction.
What does thyroid chondroplasty do?
- Upper body
Reduces Adam's apple
How long does thyroid chondroplasty last?
This treatment is permanent.
How do I stay safe?
To ensure you are receiving the safest possible treatment, you should follow this advice from the Care Quality Commission on how to choose cosmetic surgery.
What should I be aware of?
Possible complications of thyroid chondroplasty include not enough cartilage being removed, damage to the vocal cords, and destabilization of the epiglottis 1.
What kinds are there?
Thyroid chondroplasty involves removing some of the cartilage at the front of the Adam’s apple to flatten it, making it less visible. A number of variations on the basic surgical technique exist, including incision directly over the cartilage (normally avoided as it leaves more visible scars), incision through the submental area (directly below the chin), and endoscopic surgeries 1. The surgeon can also use an endoscope to pinpoint the location of the vocal chords to avoid damage 2.
What else might I want?
Thyroid chondroplasty is often carried out during surgeries that affect the voice - either to reduce the number of operations required, or because those surgeries would otherwise make the Adam’s apple more apparent.
References
- 1.Morrison, Shane D, Vyas, Krishna S, Motakef, Saba, Gast, Katherine M, et al. (2016) “Facial Feminization: Systematic Review of the Literature.” Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 137(6), pp. 1759–1770. Link
- 2.Spiegel, Jeffrey H and Rodriguez, Gerardo (2008) “Chondrolaryngoplasty under general anesthesia using a flexible fiberoptic laryngoscope and laryngeal mask airway.” Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 134(7), pp. 704–708. Link
Acknowledgements
This page is illustrated using a photograph by Павел Сорокин available at Pexels.
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