Objective Analysis of Voice after Microlaryngoscopic Surgery in Patients with Vocal Polyps at Different Anatomical Sites

Abstract

Background: Vocal polyps are a common, benign disorder of the larynx, which is most often treated by surgical excision. The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative changes in voice that correspond to the anatomical locations of vocal polyps. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with a polyp on the anterior third of the vocal fold (group Ⅰ) and 17 patients with a polyp on the middle third (group Ⅱ). Acoustic and phonatory function analyses were performed before surgery and six weeks thereafter. Results: Whereas postoperative jitter and shimmer decreased, the postoperative harmonic-to-noise ratio and maximal phonation time increased in all patients (P＜0.05). Jitter, harmonic-to-noise ratio, and maximal phonation time tended to improve more after surgery in group Ⅰ, whereas shimmer tended to decrease more in group Ⅱ. Only the increase in harmonic-to-noise ratio after surgery in group Ⅰ was significantly greater than that in group Ⅱ (P＜0.05). Conclusion: Surgery led to greater improvement in the harmonic-to-noise ratio in patients with a polyp on the anterior third than in those with a polyp on the middle third of the vocal fold. This implies that a polyp on the anterior third produces more disturbance in the harmonic component of the voice than does a polyp on the middle third of the vocal fold.