Vitrase (hyaluronidase) is an injectable enzyme medicine that helps break down excess fluid or gel-like substances in the body. It works by gently loosening the natural bonds in tissue, allowing trapped blood or injectable materials to be reabsorbed more efficiently. In the office, Vitrase is delivered through a fine needle directly into the vocal fold under precise visualization. The procedure is done under local anesthesia.

In laryngology, Vitrase has three primary uses. It can help resolve a vocal fold hemorrhage by speeding up the clearance of blood from the tissue, reducing swelling, and allowing the vocal folds to vibrate more normally again. It can be used in patients with smoker's polyps, called Reinke's edema, to reduce the swelling without traditional surgery. It is also valuable in adjusting previous vocal fold augmentations, such as Restylane injections, when a touch-up is needed due to over-injection of Restylane. In these cases, Vitrase allows your laryngologist to carefully soften or reshape an injection, restoring balance and improving vocal quality without having to remove or redo the entire procedure.