Physiological-based synthesis using low order lumped-mass models of phonation have been shown to mimic and predict complex physical phenomena observed in normal and pathological speech production, and have received significant attention due to their ability to efficiently perform comprehensive parametric investigations that are cost prohibitive with more advanced computational tools. Even thoug...

INTRODUCTION Despite multiple studies reporting marked benefit of botulinum toxin (BTX) for treatment of cricopharyngeal dysphagia, little is known about its safety for this indication. We examined the safety of cricopharyngeal BTX for dysphagia in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). METHODS We reviewed records of patients with OPMD who received cricopharyngeal BTX. RESULTS Twenty-fo...

How is it assessed? Laryngeal symptoms may have many causes. They are usually driven by four broad disease processes: inflammation, neoplastic and structural abnormalities, imbalance in muscle tension, and neuromuscular dysfunction. Laryngeal symptoms arise from one or a combination of these processes. A careful history and examination is crucial in determining the primary factor and helping to...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To investigate the feasibility of an implantable electrical stimulation device to treat spasmodic dysphonia (SD) by neuromodulation of the muscle spindle gamma loop. STUDY DESIGN Prospective case series. METHOD Five subjects underwent daily stimulation of the left thyroarytenoid muscle (TA) below the level of α-motor neuron activation (AMNA) for 5 consecutive days. Pro...

This paper reports on an evidence-based review of laryngeal electromyography (EMG) as a technique for use in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of laryngeal movement disorders including the laryngeal dystonias, vocal fold paralysis, and other neurolaryngological disorders. The authors performed a systematic review of the medical literature from 1944 through 2001 on the clinical application...