Voice estimation in patients after reconstructive subtotal laryngectomy

BACKGROUND Treatment of laryngeal cancers, may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination. Total laryngectomy (TL) has been the standard surgical treatment. Partial laryngectomy procedures were performed, their advantage over TL is preservation of laryngeal functions. METHODS The investigation was carried out on a group of 20 patients (3 female and 17 male), who underwent surgery according the techniques mentioned above. The methods of investigation were based on perceptual voice estimation (GRBAS), videolaryngostroboscopy, acoustic voice analysis, aerodynamic measure maximum phonation time, voice self-assessment (VHI). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The perceptual voice estimation revealed a good phonation result in only 3 cases after using surgery with the Calearo method as well as the best results of MPT. The VHI reflected severe voice handicap in 2 patients (26 to 40 points). No statistically significant differences were observed between the values of the acoustic parameters in MDVP analysis after following operation -CHEP, Calearo, Sedlacek.