Multitalented entertainer Donny Osmond is on the mend after undergoing a surgical procedure on his right vocal cord this week.
Described as a "complete success," the surgery aimed to address a hemorrhagic polyp and was performed by Harvard Medical School's Dr. Steven M. Zeitels, who's also treated the likes of Sam Smith, Adele and John Mayer — all performers who, like Osmond, are no strangers to using their voices, reports People Magazine.
"[Dr. Zeitels] showed me the operation on video," Osmond told People by email. "Got some cool pictures. It took an hour to complete the procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital. Now, it's pure silence for three weeks. Not even a whisper or whistle."
Osmond will keep quiet while recovering and begin rehabilitation at the outset of September. He expects to be ready for a performance later that month in Las Vegas, at which he'll sing with his sister, Marie. In the meantime, Osmond has been plenty transparent about the process, posting one photo via Facebook prior to the operation.
"Normally I wouldn't post a picture like this," Osmond wrote on Facebook, via People. "But the technology that Dr. Zeitels is using is so cool that I'm actually excited about this operation and wanted to share this moment with you."
The 57-year-old has also kept his fans up to date on Twitter, noting that he's using a text-to-speech application on his smartphone to communicate with friends and family.
While details of the operation remain unknown, there are several surgical options commonly used to treat polyps on the vocal cords. According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors may use, "microsurgery, carbon-dioxide laser surgery, and when appropriate, the newest laser treatments including potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser treatment."
The latter alternative — KTP — is "a state-of-the-art therapy that treats lesions on the vocal cords by cutting off the blood supply to the lesion, allowing the lesion to be removed while preserving the maximum amount of underlying tissue."
Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that vocal cord injuries aren't unusual among those who frequently use their voices. Due to the vocal cords' rapid vibration, overuse or misuse can lead to a condition called phonotrauma. Osmond insisted that his situation could happen to just about any singer — not because of something peculiar to his singing style.
"This is a common misconception," he explained to People. "Opera singers get this. It's just the fact that I use my instrument a lot."
Osmond appears to be in better shape now, but staying that way will require a bit of discipline as he avoids speaking in the coming weeks.
"I won't lie," he recently tweeted. "It's really tough."
