Abstract
Background
Can a “typical” voice in terms of auditory perception be defined after type I or II chordectomy? Do other parameters in a multidimensional voice protocol correlate to this perceptual profile?
Methods
Voice evaluation using a multidimensional voice protocol including perceptual (GRBAS; grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain scale), acoustic, aerodynamic, stroboscopic analyses, and self‐assessment (Voice Handicap Index [VHI]) in a cohort of 37 consecutive patients with T1a midcord glottic carcinoma.
Results
Sixty‐five percent of patients had dysphonia, dominated by mild breathiness (mean grade 1.4). Voice Handicap was minimal (mean VHI 19). Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters were only mildly deviant. The correlations between perceptual analysis and the other parameters were weak.
Conclusion
The typical laser treated voice (type I or II resections) is characterized by mild breathiness in perceptual analysis. Correlations with other parameters, including patients' self assessment, are weak. Therefore, these outcomes do not form 1 integrated voice profile. This may have consequences for clinical decision‐making. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009