Glottal Closure in Women with No Voice Complaints or Laryngeal Disorders

Introduction: The understanding of normal vocal production is essential to guide any voice professional as it is fundamental to understand the effects of the posterior glottal gap on the vocal quality. Objective: The aim of the present study was to verify the association between glottic closure, acoustic parameters, and some characteristics of the videolaryngostroboscopy of young women without vocal complaints nor laryngeal disorders. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 56 women between 20 and 30 years old who underwent videolaryngostroboscopy. The acoustic parameters of the vowel /a:/ were analyzed using the Praat software, Release 4.6.10 (Paul Boersman and David Weenik, Amsterdam, Netherlands). Statistical Analysis: The chi-squared, Fischer, and Kruskall-Wallis tests were applied, with 5% significance. Results: Significant occurrence of posterior glottal gap (85.71%, p < 0.001), of normal vocal folds vibration amplitude (82.14%, p < 0.001), and of absence of significant constriction of the laryngeal vestibule (98.21%, p < 0.001); no significant association of the glottic closure with the vocal acoustic parameters; no significant association of glottic closure, vocal folds vibration amplitude, and constriction of the laryngeal vestibule. Conclusion: There was a predominance of posterior glottal gap, normal vocal folds vibration amplitude, and absence of laryngeal vestibule constriction, and no relation with the acoustic parameters, suggesting that the posterior glottal gap did not generate impact on the vocal production of the young adult women studied (AU)

Voice and Imaging Analysis After Thyroplasty Type l in the Treatment of Unilateral Vocal Paralysis / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:There are several methods to improve voice quality in the patients with paralyzed vocal cord, such as thyroplasty type I, injection, arytenoid adduction. The goal of surgical medialization of the paralyzed vocal fold is to attain complete glottic closure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of thyroplasty type I through qualifying the vocal function and glottal gap. MATERIALS & METHODS: We experienced 20 cases of unilateral vocal fold paralysis who underwent thyroplasty type I. We performed preoperative and postoperative videoimage analysis (normalized glottal gap area) and computer-assisted voice analysis in all patients. RESULTS: The glottal gap was significantly reduced after thyroplasty type I. Postoperative voice quality was characterized by an improved pitch and amplitude perturbation (jitter and shimmer), maximum phonation time and subglottic pressure . But noise to harmonic ratio was not improved. CONCLUSION: Thyroplasty type I is an effective method in the point of regaining glottal closure and vocal function.