Abnormal vocal cord morphology Vocal cord polyp 2018-09-08T01:50:44Z In severe conditions, polyps turn hemorrhagic and emerge as blood blisters on vocal cords. This occurs when collision forces, generated during the oscillatory cycle of phonation, cause microtrauma within the basement membrane of epithelium and the superficial layer of the lamina propria. Consequently, oscillation of vocal folds leads to neovascularization and hemorrhagic events within the damaged tissue. Depending on the size, position, and type of polyps, abnormal voice qualities including hoarseness, harshness, and breathiness would be different. The size of polyps varies from small to large masses, and a criterion to distinguish polyps from nodules is defined as mass bigger than 0.3 mm whereby bigger masses could be classified as polyps. A small growth on a vocal cord that may appear as pedunculated or sessile and have varying size, shape, and color.