Home / The Price Tag / Voice, Throat and Ear Surgery Cost: From Tonsils to Thyroplasty
ENT · Voice and Throat

Voice, Throat and Ear Surgery Cost: From Tonsils to Thyroplasty

8 min readUpdated August 2026Typical 2026 ranges, not quotes
Bottom line

Voice and throat surgery ranges from a $3,900 all-inclusive tonsillectomy at a transparent US surgery center to $15,000 to $30,000 for medialization thyroplasty or a voice-deepening (pitch-lowering) procedure at specialized laryngology centers. Vocal cord lesion removal (microlaryngoscopy) typically runs $5,000 to $12,000 US cash-pay; endoscopic sinus surgery $8,000 to $20,000; tympanoplasty $6,000 to $14,000. Accredited Colombian ENT programs run 55 to 70 percent lower; specialized voice-pitch surgery is available at only a few centers worldwide.

ENT pricing searches cluster around voice (vocal cord surgery, thyroplasty, laryngoplasty, voice deepening), sinuses, ears, and tonsils. This guide gives 2026 ranges for each and notes where the procedure is common enough to travel for and where it is a subspecialty with a handful of surgeons.

Typical 2026 prices

Voice, throat, sinus and ear procedures

All-in typical 2026, cash-pay
Line itemUSAColombia
Tonsillectomyadult$3,875 – $6,500$1,500 – $2,800
Microlaryngoscopy with lesion removalvocal cord polyp, nodule, cyst$5,000 – $12,000$2,000 – $4,500
Vocal cord laser surgeryKTP or CO2 laser, papilloma, dysplasia$6,000 – $14,000$2,500 – $5,500
Vocal cord injectionaugmentation for paralysis, office or OR$2,000 – $6,000$800 – $2,000
Medialization thyroplastytype I, implant for vocal cord paralysis$12,000 – $25,000$5,000 – $9,500
Voice feminization (glottoplasty)Wendler or similar, endoscopic$8,000 – $15,000$3,500 – $6,500
Voice deepening / pitch loweringtype III thyroplasty, few centers$15,000 – $30,000limited availability
Septoplastyfunctional$5,000 – $10,000$1,800 – $3,500
Endoscopic sinus surgeryFESS, with or without balloon$8,000 – $20,000$3,500 – $7,500
Sinus laser or balloon sinuplastyoffice-based$3,500 – $8,000$1,500 – $3,000
Tympanoplastyeardrum repair$6,000 – $14,000$2,500 – $5,500
Ear tubespediatric, bilateral$2,500 – $5,000$900 – $1,800
All-in typical range$2,000 – $30,000$800 – $9,500
Tonsillectomy floor is Surgery Center of Oklahoma's posted price. Voice-pitch surgery is performed at a small number of laryngology centers; treat all quotes for it as specialist pricing. Colombia figures are accredited-hospital ENT ranges, moderate confidence.

Voice surgery: three very different procedures

Lesion removal

Polyps, nodules, cysts, and papillomas are removed under general anesthesia through a laryngoscope, with or without a laser, in 30 to 60 minutes as an outpatient. Voice rest for 1 to 2 weeks and voice therapy afterward are part of the treatment and are usually outside the quote. This is the most common and most travel-appropriate voice procedure.

Thyroplasty and injection for paralysis

When one vocal cord is paralyzed, the gap causes a breathy, weak voice. Injection augmentation (a filler into the cord, often in the office) is quick and temporary; medialization thyroplasty places a permanent implant through a small neck incision under local anesthesia with sedation so the patient can phonate during surgery. Laryngologists (ENTs with a fellowship in voice) do these.

Pitch-changing surgery

Voice feminization (glottoplasty, shortening the vibrating cords endoscopically) is well-established at gender-affirming and voice centers. Voice deepening or pitch lowering (type III thyroplasty, relaxing the cords by shortening the thyroid cartilage) is far less common, is offered by a handful of surgeons worldwide, and has less predictable results; voice therapy achieves much of the effect for many patients. Price any quote against the surgeon's published case series.

What changes the number

Travel notes

Tonsillectomy, septoplasty, sinus surgery, tympanoplasty, and vocal lesion removal are routine at accredited Colombian ENT programs; plan 7 to 10 days, longer for tonsillectomy because of the day 5 to 10 bleeding window. Thyroplasty and glottoplasty require a laryngology-trained surgeon; ask for case volume. Hub: colombiamedical.co.

Credentials to verify before booking in Colombia. Surgeon license on ReTHUS, the national health-professional registry; specialty board membership (SCCOT for orthopedics and traumatology, ACC for general surgery, SCCP for plastic surgery); and the name of the hospital where the procedure is performed. JCI accreditation applies to hospitals, never to standalone clinics.

Why Colombia keeps appearing in these tables. The World Health Organization's 2000 World Health Report ranked Colombia's health system #22 in the world and #1 in the Western Hemisphere, ahead of the United States and Canada. That report has not been repeated, so for current verification pair it with two live anchors: JCI accreditation (a hospital-level credential; standalone clinics are not JCI-accredited) and ReTHUS, Colombia's national health-professional registry at rethus.gov.co, where any surgeon's license can be checked.

Get an ENT or voice surgery quote

Send your laryngoscopy or CT report and the procedure. Our Medellín-based team routes to ENT and laryngology specialists at accredited Colombian hospitals and returns itemized quotes within 48 hours.

Request quotesWhatsApp us

Frequently Asked

How much does vocal cord surgery cost?

$5,000 to $12,000 US cash-pay for microlaryngoscopy with lesion removal, $6,000 to $14,000 with laser; $2,000 to $5,500 at accredited Colombian ENT programs. Voice therapy is extra.

How much does thyroplasty cost?

Medialization (type I) thyroplasty for vocal cord paralysis runs $12,000 to $25,000 in the US and $5,000 to $9,500 in Colombia, including the implant.

How much does voice deepening surgery cost?

$15,000 to $30,000 at the few laryngology centers that offer type III thyroplasty. Results are less predictable than voice feminization; voice therapy is the first-line approach.

How much does laryngoplasty cost?

Injection laryngoplasty $2,000 to $6,000 in the US; surgical laryngoplasty (thyroplasty) $12,000 to $25,000. Colombia runs 55 to 65 percent lower.

How much does tympanoplasty cost?

$6,000 to $14,000 US cash-pay for eardrum repair; $2,500 to $5,500 in Colombia. Mastoidectomy or ossicular reconstruction add to both.

Related Cost Guides

Editorial disclosure: Surgery Cost publishes independent price research. When readers request quotes through our Colombia partner network at Colombia Medical, we may receive a referral fee from participating clinics. Referral fees do not influence pricing shown or which providers we list. All figures are typical 2026 market ranges, not binding quotes. Request an itemized written estimate before booking any procedure. Nothing here is medical advice.