Rehabilitation of Voice and Speech after Vocal Prosthesis Placement

Abstract

Loss of voice after total laryngectomy propter laryngeal cancer disables a person to successfully communicate with patient environment and can lead to total isolation. Learning esophageal speech in some cases is not successful. Vocal prosthesis insertion can resolve this condition. This retrospective study shows voice and speech rehabilitation in patients after total laryngectomy and installation of voice prostheses. The study included 48 patients (7 women, 41 men) with vocal prosthesis placement. Patients were 44-77 years old (mean 62.5). In 7 patients (14.58%) underwent primary installation, and 41 (85.42%) patients with secondary installation of a voice prosthesis. The results of comparative analysis of four basic parameters of voice was found that the maximum phonation time of tracheoesophageal speech (12.5s) shorter than the normal speech (23.5s), and longer compared with esophageal speech (3s). Height tracheoesophageal voice (70-190Hz) is lower than the normal level of voice (150-220Hz) and higher compared with the amount of esophageal voice (70Hz). While the tracheoesophageal voice and speech needs more time for saying 120 phonetically balanced words (2.20min) than normal voice and speech (1.08min) and shorter than esophageal speech (3.05min). Tracheoesophageal voice and speech with voice prosthesis placement have extremely high success rate (98%), faster rehabilitation and better functional results than esophageal speech.