Factors influencing the longevity and replacement frequency of Provox voice prostheses

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>This study aimed to assess the factors that influence the longevity and replacement frequency of Provox voice prostheses following their placement.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The medical records of 27 patients who received Provox voice prostheses after total laryngectomy and attended follow-up regularly between 1998 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The success rate of the Provox voice prostheses (i.e. whether speech was achieved), quality of speech achieved, number and type of complications encountered, frequency of prostheses replacement and reasons for prostheses replacements were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All 27 patients were men and their mean age was 63.0 (range 43-78) years. The mean follow-up period was 60.3 (range 1-168) months. Fluent and understandable speech was achieved in 85.0% of the patients. The mean duration before prosthesis replacement had to be performed was 17.1 (range 1-36) months. The most frequent complication was fluid leakage through the prosthesis. There was a strong positive correlation of 77.1% between the longevity of prostheses and postoperative follow-up duration (r = 0.771; p < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The voice prosthesis is a tool that can be delivered in a practical fashion and replaced easily with no serious complications. It is a means by which speech can be restored, with a high success rate, after total laryngectomy. In the present study, we found that postoperative follow-up duration was the most important factor influencing the longevity of the Provox voice prosthesis.</p>

Long-Term Outcome of the Voice Rehabilitation after Total Laryngectomy / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The voice rehabilitation following total laryngectomy is very important for the quality of life of patients who are cured by cancer treatment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the success rate and complications of various procedures used in our clinics and to evaluate various factors that can affect the success rate of the voice rehabilitation. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: From March 1993 to November 2002, 77 medical charts of the patients who underwent total laryngectomy were reviewed retrospectively to determine the immediate and long-term success rates of voice rehabilitation. The statistic correlation between the variables (age, tumor stage, tumor site, radiotherapy) and the success rate was analysed. RESULTS: Good vocalization was achieved in 90.5% of patients after Provox insertion, 81% after Amatsu procedure, while esophageal voice was acquired by 11.1%. The long-term success rate in 39 patients was 75% in Provox group, 81.8% in Amatsu group and 30.5% in esophageal voice group. There were no statistically significant correlation between the variables and the success rate of vocie rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggested that tracheoesophageal puncture with Provox prosthesis and Amatsu operation are very effective procedures for the long term voice rehabilitation following total laryngectomy.