Restoring voice function after open diagonal resection of the larynx

The study objective is to perform the acoustic analysis of voice in patients after open diagonal resection of the larynx.

Materials and methods. A total of 112 patients underwent diagonal resection of the larynx; of them 73 hadfrontolateral resection and 39 had expanded frontolateral resection. Primary laryngeal cancer was diagnosed in 107 patients; five patients had relapses after radiation therapy. Fifty-six participants underwent acoustic analysis of voice before surgery, 52 participants underwent it 1 month postoperatively, and 112 participants had it after completing their rehabilitation (6 months to 10 years postoperatively). To determine normal acoustic characteristics of voice, we examined 80 men with normal voice. We measured voice fundamental frequency (FF), maximum and minimum FF, FF variability, jitter, shimmer, voice intensity, amplitude of fundamental tone’s harmonics and their difference. Speech rehabilitation included breathing exercises according to E. Ya. Zolotareva and speech training according to S.L. Taptapova.

Results. Patients with laryngeal cancer demonstrated significant changes in the acoustic characteristics of their voice (p <0.05) compared to healthy individuals, including increased mean FF (f₀) (up to 143 ± 45 Hz vs 118 ± 18 Hz in controls), decreased voice intensity (from 60 ± 8 to 43 ± 8 dB), and almost 2-fold decrease in the amplitude of fundamental tone’s harmonics (ω₀, 2 ω₀, 3 ω₀). We also found an increased dispersion and variability of acoustic characteristics assessed compared to healthy individuals. The analysis of long-term treatment outcomes demonstrated more significant improvement of voice acoustic characteristics in patients who underwent speech rehabilitation compared to those who had no rehabilitation.

Conclusion. Open resection of the larynx with endoscopic removal of granulations and ligatures and laser restoration of the laryngeal lumen by dissecting the scars complemented by speech rehabilitation allow restoring respiratory function in 91.1 % of patients and restoring voice in 91.8 % of patients (to achieve acoustic characteristics close to normal).

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