Preliminary Diagnosis of COVID-19 using Speech Processing Techniques

This project aims to devise an alternative for Coronavirus detection using various audio signals. The aim is to create a machine-learning model assisted by speech processing techniques that can be trained to distinguish symptomatic and asymptomatic Coronavirus cases. Here the features exclusive to the vocal cord of a person is used for covid detection. The procedure is to train the classifier using a data set containing data of people of various ages both infected and disease-free, including patients with comorbidities. We presented a machine learning-based Coronavirus classifier model that can separate Coronavirus positive or negative patients from cough, breathing, and speech recordings. The model was trained and evaluated using several machine learning classifiers such as Random Forest Classifier, Logistic Regression (LR), Decision Tree Classifier, k-nearest Neighbour (KNN), Naive Bayes Classifier, Linear Discriminant Analysis, and a neural network. This project helps track COVID-19 patients at a low cost using a non-contactable procedure and reduces the workload on testing centers. © 2023 IEEE.

Late bilateral vocal cord palsy following endotracheal intubation due to COVID-19 pneumonia.

Vocal cord paralysis is a rare but severe complication after orotracheal intubation. The most common cause is traumatic, due to compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve between the orotracheal tube cuff and the thyroid cartilage. Other possible causes are direct damage to the vocal cords during intubation, dislocation of the arytenoid cartilages, or infections, especially viral infections. It is usually due to a recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropraxia, and the course is benign in most patients. We present the case of a man who developed late bilateral vocal cord paralysis after pneumonia complicated with respiratory distress due to SARS-CoV-2 that required orotracheal intubation for 11 days. He presented symptoms of dyspnea 20 days after discharge from hospital with subsequent development of stridor, requiring a tracheostomy. Due to the temporal evolution, a possible contribution of the SARS-CoV-2 infection to the picture is pointed out.

Case Report: Bilateral Palsy of the Vocal Cords After COVID-19 Infection.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, adverse neurological effects have been described. In addition to unspecific neurological symptoms, cranial nerve deficits have appeared as part of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this case report, we describe a 74-year-old patient who developed bilateral paralysis of the vocal cords some weeks following his dismissal in stable condition after COVID-19 pneumonia. After ruling out central lesions, peripheral tumors, and other possible causes, therapy was initiated with methylprednisolone, inhalations, and oxygen. The patient showed no improvement, so laterofixation after Lichtenberger was performed. The dyspnea worsened after several weeks, so a laser posterior cordectomy was performed with satisfactory outcome.

Late bilateral vocal cord palsy following endotracheal intubation due to COVID-19 pneumonia. / Parálisis bilateral tardía de cuerdas vocales trasintubación endotraqueal por neumonía COVID-19.

Vocal cord paralysis is a rare but severe complication after orotracheal intubation. The most common cause is traumatic, due to compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve between the orotracheal tube cuff and the thyroid cartilage. Other possible causes are direct damage to the vocal cords during intubation, dislocation of the arytenoid cartilages, or infections, especially viral infections. It is usually due to a recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropraxia, and the course is benign in most patients. We present the case of a man who developed late bilateral vocal cord paralysis after pneumonia complicated with respiratory distress due to SARS-CoV-2 that required orotracheal intubation for 11 days. He presented symptoms of dyspnea 20 days after discharge from hospital with subsequent development of stridor, requiring a tracheostomy. Due to the temporal evolution, a possible contribution of the SARS-CoV- 2 infection to the picture is pointed out.