Voice quality in patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis before and after surgical treatment

ABSTRACT

Voice quality in bilateral vocal cord paralysis [BVCP] is usually fair, but breathing is severely impaired. Treatment is directed towards widening of the glottis by using different endoscopic surgical methods. As a results of the surgery the voice becomes worse. In an attempt to evaluate the effect of surgical treatment on voice quality and trying to find the best compromise between breathing and phonation, we used objective voice analysis in 15 patients before and after surgery. Ten of them were treated by CO[2] laser posterior cordectomy and 5 by laser arytenoidcordectomy. All patients were decannulated 1 months after treatment. Phonetography, sonagraphy and computed voice analysis were used for evaluation of phonatory function. Six parameters of the basic tone were messured. In all 15 patients impairment of the voice quality was found. The voice was worse in the patients who underwent arytenoidcordectomy compared to those treated by posterior cordectomy. Concerning voice quality posterior cordectomy should be used with preference in the treatment of BVCP. Arytenoidcordectomy should be used in cases with arytenoids fixation or small and narrow larynx