Abstract
To assess the effect of a program of singing training on the voice of total laryngectomees wearing tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis, considering the quality of alaryngeal phonation, vocal extension and the musical elements of tunning and legato. Five laryngectomees wearing tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis completed the singing training program over a period of three months, with exploration of the strengthening of the respiratory muscles and vocalization and with evaluation of perceptive-auditory and singing voice being performed before and after 12 sessions of singing therapy. After the program of singing voice training, the quality of tracheoesophageal voice showed improvement or the persistence of the general degree of dysphonia for the emitted vowels and for the parameters of roughness and breathiness. For the vowel "a", the pitch was displaced to grave in two participants and to acute in one, and remained adequate in the others. A similar situation was observed also for the vowel "i". After the singing program, all participants presented tunning and most of them showed a greater presence of legato. The vocal extension improved in all participants. Singing training seems to have a favorable effect on the quality of tracheoesophageal phonation and on singing voice.
Highlights
After surgical removal of the larynx for the treatment of laryngeal carcinoma, the pharynx, the pharyngoesophageal transition and the esophagus perform their digestive function but are stimulated to take on voice and speech production, which is an extremely refined function.The perceptive voice pitch and loudness represent aspects of the dynamics of the spoken or singing voice that can be explored and used as expressive resources for the rehabilitation of individuals submitted to ablative larynx surgery due to cancer
The spoken voice differs from the singing voice in terms of the utilization of vocal resources resulting from specific adjustments for different emissions that may help promote the quality of life and the refinement of speech of total laryngectomees
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a program of singing training on the tracheoesophageal voice of total laryngectomees rehabilitated with a tracheoesophageal prosthesis, considering the quality of alaryngeal voice, the vocal extension and the musical elements of tunning and legato
Summary
After surgical removal of the larynx for the treatment of laryngeal carcinoma, the pharynx, the pharyngoesophageal transition and the esophagus perform their digestive function but are stimulated to take on voice and speech production, which is an extremely refined function.The perceptive voice pitch and loudness represent aspects of the dynamics of the spoken or singing voice that can be explored and used as expressive resources for the rehabilitation of individuals submitted to ablative larynx surgery due to cancer. The spoken voice differs from the singing voice in terms of the utilization of vocal resources resulting from specific adjustments for different emissions that may help promote the quality of life and the refinement of speech of total laryngectomees. Multidisciplinary work involving the head and neck surgeon, a speech therapist and a singing teacher is relevant for total laryngectomees speaking with a tracheoesophageal prosthesis in order to favor their oral communication and to elicit or refine the musical profile of those who have it, contributing to their quality of life. The process of alaryngeal voice rehabilitation needs to advance in terms of the quality of communication, permitting the acquisition and utilization of a satisfactory alaryngeal emission capable of reproducing the intentional and emotional aspects of these individuals during conversation with their interlocutors
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