Voice Analysis of Patients with Endoscopically Treated Early Laryngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Endoscopic laser resection of early (T1) laryngeal carcinoma has been advocated as an alternative to radiotherapy. Heretofore, the voice characteristics following this procedure have been addressed in only one review, which included patients treated by irradiation and laser resection. We present the first review of voice findings in 22 patients treated only by endoscopic laser resection of their vocal cord carcinomas. Laser resection of selected vocal cord carcinomas produced voice function results acceptable to the patients and was rated by them to be normal to almost normal. Speech pathologists rated the voices to be near-normal to mildly abnormal. Voices after laser resection of vocal carcinoma exhibited a slightly higher fundamental frequency, a decrease in intensity and phonatory duration, and markedly higher laryngeal airway resistance. The percentage of voicing showed little deviation from normal, as did mean percentage of perturbations.