Besides dysphonia (impaired speech), the most serious of these complications is airway obstruction due to severe inflammation of the vocal cords. The risk of complications has decreased drastically with the creation of new tools, such as the CO2 laser for surgical microlaryngoscopy. Before the Hirano microflap method was developed in 1895, vocal stripping was the most common procedure used to correct Reinkes Edema. Vocal stripping was often performed without magnification and with a monocular laryngoscope, instead of a binocular scope. This led to major complications such as vocal ligament scarring. Women are more likely than men to undergo surgery due to a greater change in vocal pitch and quality. Surgery is capable of restoring the voice, with the condition that smoking is not resumed after surgery. Post-operative voice therapy is also advised to restore the voices strength. Reinkes edema is not a fatal pathology unless the tissue becomes precancerous. Research
Recent studies have examined the role of specific cell types in Reinkes edema, including the role of vocal cord fibroblasts. In normal tissue, these spindle-shaped CD34+ fibroblasts produce extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen and elastin. Recent findings have shown a morphological change in fibroblasts extracted from the tissue of Reinkes edema to a more dendritic-like shape with several protrusions. Large populations of these altered CD34+ fibroblasts have been found surrounding the areas of edema. They lack normal expression of several cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins and express additional proteins that are not expressed in normal vocal cord fibroblasts.
Advanced cases may undergo phonosurgery to remove the fluid from the vocal cords. Signs and symptoms
List of common symptoms:

"sac-like" appearance of the vocal folds
Hoarseness and deepening of the voice
Trouble speaking (Dysphonia)
Reduced vocal range with diminished upper limits
Stretching of the mucosa (Distension)
Shortness of breath (Dyspnoea)Reinkes edema is characterized by a "sac-like" appearance of the vocal folds. The edema is a white translucent fluid that causes a bulging (distension) of the vocal cord. The most common clinical symptom associated with Reinkes edema is an abnormally low pitched voice with hoarseness. The low pitch voice is a direct result of increased fluid in the Reinkes space, which vibrates at a lower frequency than normal (females <130 Hz;  males <110 Hz). Hoarseness is a common problem of many laryngeal diseases, such as laryngitis. It is described as a harsh and breathy tone of voice. Hoarseness is often seen alongside dysphonia, a condition in which the individual has difficulty speaking.The swelling of the vocal cords and the lowering of the voice are warning signs that an individual has Reinkes edema. At the microscopic level, an examination of the vocal cords in patients with Reinkes edema will show lowered levels of collagen, elastin, and extracellular matrix proteins. These characteristics can be used to diagnose Reinkes edema. Reinkes edema is considered a benign polyp that may become precancerous if smoking is involved. An indicator of cancer is the development of leukoplakia, which manifests as white patches on the vocal folds.Smoking, gastric reflux, and hypothyroidism are all risk factors for Reinkes edema.