BOSTON -- A lifetime of singing had all but silenced one of Boston's most famous performers.

NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported Monday that's when Aerosmith's Steven Tyler tried a new procedure. A laser that was invented to cut tissue in an operating room is now helping to repair damaged vocal cords.

Tyler recently became so hoarse that he had to stop his tour. He sought help at the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center.

"There are changes that have come in probably having sung more large scale rock shows than anyone ever. It's very common for people who use their voice a lot to actually get breaking blood vessels during a performance," Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center Director Dr. Steven Zeitels said.

Zeitels said repeated bleeding of the vessels in the throat can cause scarring, which can permanently damage the vocal cords.

Now, he's using a new laser technology -- KTP green laser -- to alter the blood supply to that area.

"It's pulsing such large amounts of energy for such brief periods of time, it's not building heat outside the blood vessel wall," Zeitels said.

"I was at the point where I could hardly talk," patient Doug McNutt said.

The laser can also cut off the blood supply to tumors. McNutt was told he may need his voice box removed after being diagnosed with cancer. But after some surgery, chemotherapy and seven to eight laser treatments, McNutt's voice returned, and the disease is under control.

"I'm very lucky," McNutt said. "If I know I have to come here three to four times a year for this, that's manageable."

The treatments take about 15 minutes -- very different from the four to five hours under general anesthesia for traditional vocal cord surgery.

Tyler is back in the saddle again after getting his treatment.

Zeitels said he's treating more nonsingers now -- especially since more people are in the communication business and using vocal cords more frequently.

"Somebody who is not off the phone for eight hours, telemarketing, someone who is managing something -- they actually have more intense phonotrauma, probably, than a performer who is high intensity and than can rest," he said.

Zeitels said as more technology relies on voice recognition, he expects to see the number of people who have vocal problems soar from overuse of the vocal cords.