Phonatory aerodynamics in connected speech.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: 1) Present phonatory aerodynamic data for healthy controls (HCs) in connected speech; 2) contrast these findings between HCs and patients with nontreated unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP); 3) present pre- and post-vocal fold augmentation outcomes for patients with UVFP; 4) contrast data from patients with post-operative laryngeal augmentation to HCs.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, single-blinded.

METHODS: For phase I, 20 HC participants were recruited. For phase II, 20 patients with UVFP were age- and gender-matched to the 20 HC participants used in phase I. For phase III, 20 patients with UVFP represented a pre- and posttreatment cohort. For phase IV, 20 of the HC participants from phase I and 20 of the postoperative UVFP patients from phase III were used for direct comparison. Aerodynamic measures captured from a sample of the Rainbow Passage included: number of breaths, mean phonatory airflow rate, total duration of passage, inspiratory airflow duration, and expiratory airflow duration. The VHI-10 was also obtained pre- and postoperative laryngeal augmentation.

RESULTS: All phonatory aerodynamic measures were significantly increased in patients with preoperative UVFP than the HC group. Patients with laryngeal augmentation took significantly less breaths, had less mean phonatory airflow rate during voicing, and had shorter inspiratory airflow duration than the preoperative UVFP group. None of the postoperative measures returned to HC values. Significant improvement in the Voice Handicap Index-10 scores postlaryngeal augmentation was also found.

CONCLUSIONS: Methodology described in this study improves upon existing aerodynamic voice assessment by capturing characteristics germane to UVFP patient complaints and measuring change before and after laryngeal augmentation in connected speech.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.