Efficacy of the DoctorVox Voice Therapy Technique for the Management of Vocal Fold Nodules.

Objective: Vocal fold nodules (VFNs) are among the most common causes of dysphonia. Phono-laryngeal microsurgery, pharmacological treatments, and voice therapy (VT) have been used for treating VFNs. VT has been advocated as the primary treatment of choice. This study investigated the efficacy of the DoctorVox Voice therapy technique (DVT) for treating VFNs. Methods: A total of 38 patients with VFNs and 40 individuals without any voice problem (control group) were included. All patients received the DVT program. Otorhinolaryngology examination, videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS), and acoustic analysis (SPL, mean F0, jitter %, shimmer %, NHR) were performed at pretreatment, one and six months after the end of treatment. The voice handicap index-10 (VHI-10) and the GRB scales were used for perceptual voice evaluation. GRB and VLS scorings were done blindly. Results: Compared with the pretreatment values, the first- and the sixth-month values after treatment demonstrated a significant decrease in VHI-10 (19.5 vs. 5.1), GRB (2.3 vs 0.68 for G value) and VLS scores, SPL (54.4 vs 66.1 dB), F0 (201 vs. 227 Hz), jitter % (1.46 vs 0.85), shimmer % (3.27 vs 2.51), NHR (1.15 vs. 0.46) values among patients. Most of the voice parameters in the sixth month after the DVT program did not differ significantly from those of the control group. Conclusion: The DVT was found to be an effective method in VFN treatment.

Physiologic Voice Rehabilitation Based on Water Resistance Therapy With Connected Speech in Subjects With Vocal Fatigue.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a physiologic voice therapy program based on water resistance therapy (WRT) exercises including connected speech in a group of subjects with voice complaints (vocal effort and fatigue). METHODS: Twenty-four participants with behavioral dysphonia were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: (1) voice treatment with WRT plus vocal hygiene program (n = 12), and (2) vocal hygiene program only (n = 12). Laryngoscopic assessment was performed in all subjects. Before and after voice therapy, participants underwent aerodynamic and electroglottographic assessment. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and self-assessment of resonant voice were also performed. The treatment included six voice therapy sessions. For the experimental group, the exercises consisted of a sequence of seven phonatory tasks performed with two different voice training devices (PocketVox and MaskVox). Comparison for all variables was performed between experimental group and control group. RESULTS: Significant differences were found for experimental group for VHI physical subscale, and self-perceived resonant voice when comparing pre-post conditions. A strong negative correlation between self-perceived resonant voice and VHI physical sub-score was also reported. No significant differences were found for instrumented variables. CONCLUSION: Physiologic voice therapy based on WRT exercises including connected speech seems to be an effective tool to improve self-perceived voice in subjects diagnosed with voice complaints. Apparently, changes are more prone to occur in perceptual variables related with physical discomfort associate with voice production. A reduction in phonatory effort and perceptual aspects of vocal fatigue are the main improvements.

Singing Voice Therapy Revisited / Revisión de la terapia de voz cantada

Introduction. Singing is a type of sportive activity and, like sports medicine, profes-sional voice medicine is interested in the habilitation and rehabilitation of the vocal performer. The vocal needs of the professional vocal performer may not be similar to other professional or non-professional voice users. Like a professional athlete, a vocal performer's ability to perform for many decades at a high level will be enhanced by basing artistic and lifestyle decisions on a scientifically sound foundation. Objective. The aim of this study is to present a multidimensional introduction to the methods of SVT, incorporating the principles of sport and exercise medicine, and physical therapy and rehabilitation.Reflection. Singing voice therapy needs to provide answers to "what", "why", "how", and "when" questions. SVT must first correctly identify the problem, leading to the "how to do" solutions for a wide variety of cases, followed by a schedule of prescribed activities including answers to the "why" question (which exercise relates to which muscle). The periodization and motor learning principles provide a temporal answer to the "when" question when developing habilitation and/or rehabilitative protocols.Conclusion. Singing is not only an artistic expression, but also a sportive performance. The clinical approach to professional voice is a multidimensional and multilayered team effort. All practices are structured by blending scientific and ped-agogical knowledge

Introducción. El canto es una forma de actividad deportiva y, al igual que la medicina deportiva, la medicina vocal profesional se interesa por la habilitación y rehabilitación del intérprete vocal. Las necesidades vocales del intérprete vocal profesional pueden no ser similares a las de otros usuarios de voz profesionales o no profesionales. Al igual que un atleta profesional, la capacidad de un intérprete vocal para desempeñarse durante muchas décadas a un alto nivel se mejorará al basar las decisiones artísticas y de estilo de vida en un fundamento científicamente sólido. Objetivo. El objetivo de este estudio es presentar una introducción multidimensional a los métodos de TSV, incorporando los principios de la medicina del deporte y el ejercicio, y la fisioterapia y rehabilitación. Reflexión. La terapia de la voz cantada debe proporcionar respuestas a preguntas de "qué", "por qué", "cómo" y "cuándo". SVT primero debe identificar correctamente el problema, lo que lleva a las soluciones de "cómo hacer" para una amplia variedad de casos, seguido de un programa de actividades prescritas que incluyen respuestas a la pregunta "por qué" (qué ejercicio se relaciona con qué músculo). Los principios de periodización y aprendizaje motor proporcionan una respuesta temporal a la pregunta de "cuándo", al desarrollar protocolos de habilitación y/o rehabilitación. Conclusión. Cantar no es solo una expresión artística, sino también una actuación deportiva. El enfoque clínico de la voz profesional es un esfuerzo de equipo multidimensional y de múltiples capas. Todas las prácticas están estructuradas, al combinar conocimientos científicos y pedagógicos.

Laryngoscopic Examination During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Turkish Voice Speech and Swallowing Disorders Society and Turkish Professional Voice Society Recommendations.

COVID-19 is highly transmissible and spreads rapidly in the population. This increases the occupational risk for health care workers. In otolaryngology clinic practice, patients with upper respiratory tract infection symptoms are common. Also, routine head and neck examinations such as oral cavity examination, nasal/nasopharyngeal examination, or video laryngostroboscopic evaluation are highly risky because of the aerosol formation. To emphasize this issue, two leading otolaryngology organizations in Turkey; 'Voice Speech and Swallowing Disorders Society', and 'Professional Voice Society' gathered a task force. This task force aimed to prepare a consensus report that would provide practical recommendations of the safety measurements during routine clinical care of laryngology patients. To fulfill this, universal aim, on the 2nd and 9th of May 2020, two web-based meetings were conducted by 20 expert physicians. This eighteen items list was prepared as an output.

Vocal and ventricular fold lateralization using crossing sutures with the thyroplasty window technique for bilateral vocal fold immobility: long-term results.

CONCLUSIONS: Vocal and ventricular fold lateralization using crossing sutures with the thyroplasty window technique is an effective and durable procedure for the management of patients with bilateral vocal fold immobility. OBJECTIVES: To review the long-term results of bilateral vocal fold immobility in 26 patients treated with vocal and ventricular fold lateralization using crossing sutures with the thyroplasty window technique over a 6-year period. METHODS: This retrospective study examined patients with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. The main outcome measures used were the modified Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale and the assessment of voice quality pre- and postoperatively using the Likert method. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 23.77 ± 12.01 months. All patients reported marked symptomatic improvement in dyspnoea (p = 0.0001). The voice quality worsened as expected; however, this difference did not reach a significant level (p = 0.642). Transient microaspiration was noted in seven of the patients and resolved in 1 or 2 days. The procedure was performed for the contralateral vocal fold in one case, due to the loss of suture tension. No patient showed aspiration postoperatively or during follow-up. All patients were regularly followed up for the beginning of movement of the lateralized or contralateral vocal folds in our outpatient clinic.

Laryngoaltimeter: a new ambulatory device for laryngeal height control, preliminary results.

The vertical larynx position has significant effects on vocal tract resonances and on the biomechanical properties of the vocal folds. It is generally agreed that the larynx should be kept in a comfortably low position during singing, and voice problems are often associated with a habitually raised larynx. A new method, and a battery operated portable device called Laryngoaltimeter, was developed to control laryngeal height continuously for therapeutic or educational purposes. Two similar condenser microphones attached on the suprasternal notch and supraglottic region were used to capture corresponding vibrations during phonation. The microphone signals were then filtered through a band pass filter (90-240 Hz), digitized, and compared to each other by detection algorithms of the Laryngoaltimeter. When the supraglottic microphone received subglottic resonance related vibrations due to laryngeal elevation, auditory and visual signals were produced as a biofeedback by the device. Waterfall amplitude spectrograms of the microphone signals verified that the frequencies captured by each microphone were dissimilar before and similar after laryngeal elevation. The accuracy of the device was found to be 87% on 13 subjects having different voice classifications as a demonstration of its use. Laryngoaltimeter is a prototype device and needs to be developed. Further research may also be established to investigate the habitual effects of keeping vertical position low by using Laryngoaltimeter as a biofeedback device during therapy exercises or voice lessons.

[Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Voice Handicap Index]. / Ses Handikap Endeksi (Voice Handicap Index) Türkçe versiyonunun güvenilirligi ve geçerliligi.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), and developed a short VHI form that would be more practical. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The original VHI was translated to Turkish by 10 otolaryngologists, then it was translated back to English by a linguist, and the final text was prepared by the evaluation committee composed of three members. The translated version was administered to a group of 220 subjects twice with 7-14 days intervals. Based on the responses, statistical analyses were performed to assess its reliability and validity. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability was found to be highly significant (Cronbach's alpha=0.97). Test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.93 for the total score. Factor analysis yielded three factors explaining 64.8% of the total variance. The corrected item-total correlation coefficients ranged from 0.50 to 0.80. The 10 most robust VHI items, namely, E7, E9, P10, F11, F12, E15, F16, P18, P20 and E29, were selected using the corrected item-total correlation coefficients, and a shortened form of the Turkish VHI was developed. CONCLUSION: As some items are thought to be contentious in the Turkish VHI, the short form of the Turkish VHI is more suitable for use in clinics.