Airway Resistance during Esophageal Phonation

Abstract

Prosthesis airway resistance calculations were completed for five Blom-Singer prostheses and esophageal source airway resistance estimated were made of five laryngectomized patients using the Singer-Blom voice restoration method. Airway resistance of the Blom-Singer prostheses ranged from 46 to 121 cmH 2 O/LPS, while source airways resistance in these subjects ranged from about 155 to 270 cmH 2 O/LPS. These results revealed that the opposition of the voicing sources used in esophageal speech production to airflow through them is substantial and larger than that established for the normal, laryngeal source. Findings are interpreted to highlight major advantages the Singer-Blom (1980) method of speech/voice restoration has over esophageal speech/voice produced on a conventional basis and to reveal specific reasons for the failure of may laryngectomized patients to develop consistent voice and functionally serviceable speech.