• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2011

Background and Objectives : Vocal fold bowing is an organic voice disorder that is associated with an abnormal structure of the vocal folds whereas vocal fold polyp is a functional voice disorder caused by an abnormal use of the vocal folds. Both types of vocal folds share a common property in that they make one's voice breathy or strained. The purpose of this study is to compare voice from two types of vocal folds and to offer information of clinical importance. Materials and Method: Vocal fold bowing and vocal fold polyp groups consisted of 7 male subjects, respectively. All subjects recorded /a/ in the state of measuring MPT (maximum phonation time), repeating 3 times, by a voice recorder (48 kHz sampling rate; 24 bit quantization). They answered the questions of K-VHI. Time domain parameters (such as perturbation parameters including HNR, Jitter, etc.) were calculated for the whole duration of /a/ and those of the frequency domain were measured in initial 40 ms and stable 40 ms of /a/, respectively. Mann-Whitney V-test was used for the time domain parameters and K-VHI survey, and Wilcoxon signed rank test was applied to the frequency domain parameters (H1, H2, H1-H2). Results: For K-VHI survey and the time domain analysis, there was no significant difference between bowing and polyp group. For frequency domain analysis, H1 and H2 showed a significantly different result between two groups. Vocal fold bowing group has longer duration and lower intensity than that of vocal fold polyp group in the 'aspirated interval', which could be observable prior to ordinary vowel oscillation. Conclusion: Both groups seem to show breathy voice. This could be referred on the basis of the value of H1-H2. The K-VHI survey says that subjects with vocal fold bowing feel more uncomfortable than subjects with vocal fold polyp.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2001

Singing requires exquisite coordination between the respiratory and phonatory system to efficiently control glottal airflow. Respiratory function and vocal aerodynamics were investigated in six female professional sopranos and in six female subjects without vocal training. All sopranos had more than 15 years of formal classic vocal training. Pulmonary function test data on simple pulmonary function, flow volume curve, static lung volumes, maximum inspiratory pressure(MIP), and maximum expiratory pressure(MEP) were obtained from all subjects. Vocal aerodynamic studies of maximum phonation time(MPT), phonation quotient, and mean glottal flow rates (MFR) were also measured in all subjects. Simple pulmonary function in professional sopranos was generally the same as that of other female subjects without vocal training. However, MIP and MEP showing respiratory muscle forces were significantly elevated in professional sopranos, compared to those of other female subjects without vocal training. Maximum phonation times and phonation quotient in sopranos are longer than those of other female subjects even though there were no differences in simple pulmonary function. High-pitched tones were made with significantly higher mean glottal flow rates(GFR) in normal subjects than low-pitched tones, whereas no changes in GFR were found in sopranos. The result indicated that sopranos demonstrated significant improvements in aerodynamic measures of GFR, maximum phonation time, suggesting an increase in glottal efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 1998

Benign vocal fold lesions such as polyps, nodules and edema are known to be caused by vocal trauma such as voice misuse and/or abuse. Even though these lesions are known to be caused by the same etiology, phonotrauma, they show widely different clinical features and different responses to voice therapy. Previous studies suggested that benign vocal fold lesions represent disturbance in the balance of the extracellular matrix(ECM) constituents of the vocal folds. Collagen is one of the major constituents of ECM. Among collagens, fibrillar collagens are most important ones for maintaining the structural integrity. On the basis of gross morphology, vocal polyps wert divided into angiomatous one and edematous one, and nodules were divided into conical one and sessile one. In these four groups, the pattern of distribution of various fibrillar collagens(type 1, 2, 3, 5) was studied by immunohistochemical staining using paraffin embedded tissues. Within each group, differences among collagen subtypes were insignificant. In edematous polyp, collagens were sparsely dispersed in lamina propria by diffuse edema. In angiomatous polyp, collagens were displaced into submucosal layer by hemorrhagic space. In nodules, collagens were stained compactly in lamina propria. Quite different distributions of fibrillar collagens between polyps and nodules are thought to suggest that vocal polyps and nodules are totally different disorders in their pathophysiology.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.124-130
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• 1998

This study was performed to evaluate the new surgical technique for debarking. Of the 8 mongrel dogs which underwent devocalization, 4 heads (group 1) received complete surgical removal of the vocal cords and another 4 heads (group 2) received fixation of vocal cords and vocal processes onto the thyroid cartilage. Volume of each dogs' voices was measured by a sound level meter(Function A) over 7 months at intervals of 10 days. All experimental animals'hematological values were measured before operation and postoperative at 2i 5 and 10 days. The changes of volume of dogs'voices and hematological values were analyzed by paired t-test. The volume in the dogs'voices in each group after operation was significantly lower than that before operation. At this results we detected that devocalizing effect was the same in each group. Postoperative volume of dogs'voices in group 1 had a tendency to increaser but group 2 had a tendency to decrease. The number of erythrocytes at 2 days after operation was significantly fewer than those before operation in group 1, but the group 2 did not have significant changes. The number of leukocytes at 2 days after operation significantly increased from those before operation in group 11 but the group 2 did not have significant changes. It was concluded that the new surgical technique, fixation of vocal cords and vocal processes onto the thyroid cartilages could be available for the devocalization of dogs and for the prevention of postoperative inflammation and blood loss.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2013

Because the human voice is produced through vibration of the vocal cords during the exhalation of airflow, it is important to observe the vibration pattern of the vocal cords in patients complaining of voice changes. However, it is not easy to observe the actual vibration pattern of the vocal cord because it vibrates so fast that it cannot be observed by the naked eye and it is located deep in the throat. Recently, with advances in instruments, including laryngoscopes and video camera systems, the vibration pattern of the vocal cords can now be observed. However, considering that present video camera systems can detect 30-60 images per second and the vocal cord vibrates at 100-200 and 200-300 times per second in men and women, respectively, it is not possible to record the whole mucosal wave of the vocal cord in real time. To overcome this limitation, a stroboscope, which converts fast movements of the vocal cord into slower images, has been developed. Since then, several instruments were developed to examine vocal vibration pattern. However, each instruments have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we should know about these things to apply them in patients with voice problem.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2019

Background and Objectives : Functional aphonia is characterized by incomplete closure of the vocal folds. Semi-occluded vocal tract exercise (SOVTE) allows smoothly vocal folds collision without damage to the vocal folds tissues to produce normal vocal intensity. The purpose of this study is to report the effect of SOVTE in patients with functional aphonia. Materials and Method : Seven patients diagnosed with functional aphonia were treated with 1-3 voice therapy sessions using voiced lip-trill, humming, Lax Vox in SOVTE. To assess the effectiveness of semi-occluded vocal tract exercise, cepstral analysis and auditory perceptual assessment were performed before and after voice therapy. Results : F0 (fundamental frequency), CPP (cepstral peak prominence) and L/H ratio (low/high spectral ratio) were significantly increased, while CPP Standard deviation, L/H ratio Standard deviation were decreased. In addition, 'Grade', 'Breathiness' and 'Asthenia' were significantly decreased in the GRBAS scale after SOVTE (p<0.05). Conclusion : In our study, SOVTE seemed to be effective to elicit voice quickly and promote vocal folds vibration without muscular effort in patients with functional aphonia.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to use high-speed digital imaging (HSDI) to compare vocal vibratory behaviors of persons who stutter (PWS) and persons with muscle tension dysphonia (PMTD) for uttering the /i/ vowel in a bid to identify the characteristics of vocal fold vibratory behaviors of PWS. This study surveyed seven developmental PWSs and seven PMTDs. The findings of the study indicated the following: first, regarding the two groups' vocal fold vibratory behaviors, of seven PWSs, three were found to be close vocal tract (VC) and four were found to be combination vocal tract (VCB). Of the seven PMTDs, one was found to be VC, and the other six were found to be VCB. These results indicate that a voiceprint which is different from the open vocal tract (VO) found in normal groups in research conducted by Jung, et al. (2008b) appeared in both groups of this study. Even between the two groups, there is a difference in the voiceprint before vocalization. Second, a VKG analysis was conducted to identify the two groups' vocal cord contact quotient. As a result, the PWS group's vocal cord contact quotient changed gradually from an irregular one at the initial vocalization stage to a regular one. The PMTD group continued the tension at the initial vocalization. Putting together all of these results, there is a difference in vocal fold vibratory behaviors between PWSs and PMTDs when they speak. Thus, there was a difference in muscular tension between the two groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : The vocal fold nodules which were made by excessive contact or vibration of the vocal folds were classified to the soft nodule and the hard nodule in according to the hardness or the duration of nodule. Sometimes laryngologist saw the nodule to be located in different level. Authors thought that each nodule to be located in different level might have the different causes. Therefore we studied to know the relationship between the voicing technique and each vocal fold nodule to be located in different level. Materials and Methods : One-hundred forty nine patients who had the vocal fold nodule were evaluated. Sites and shapes of the vocal fold nodules were investigated using videostroboscopy. Videokymography was also used to scan the center of the vocal fold nodules during phonation and classified to several types. Same procedures were done on normal subject while he simulated the various types of voicing. And we compared the findings between both of them. Three different types of lesion can be distinguished. These are ML group that lesions were located from mid to low, MH group that lesions were located from mid to upper and HL group that lesions were located from lower to upper of the vocal folds. Results : The VKG findings of ML group and situation simulating with hard glottal attack and vocal fry were similar. MH group had a similar VKG findings with situation simulating with whispering or high pitch voicing. HL group had a similar VKG findings with situation simulating with loud voicing. Conclusions : Authors thought that each vocal fold nodule, which had different shapes and located in different level, related with the different types of voicing.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.37-45
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Korean Singing Voice Handicap Index (K-SVHI) was suitable for singers in other genres than vocal music to assess their vocal problems subjectively. Twenty six college students majoring in vocal music and twenty six students majoring in applied music were included in the study. They were divided into G0 and G1 in voice quality using the GRBAS scale during the tasks of singing. K-SVHI was divided into three sub-areas (Physical, Functional, and Emotional). In the singing task, both groups showed no significant difference between K-SVHI scores by G scale. In the reading task, the vocal music group had significantly higher K-SVHI in G0 than in G1 in K-SVHIs by G scale, while the applied vocal music group had significantly higher K-SVHI in G1 than in G0. Also, the two groups were not significantly different in G0, G1 in the singing task while the vocal music group showed higher K-SVHI than the applied vocal music group in G0 in the reading task. In addition, the vocal music group had higher K-SVHI than the applied vocal music group in G1 in both tasks. As comparing by groups in three sub-areas of K-SVHI, significant differences were found in the Emotional and Functional area. Those results showed that singers felt their voice problems differently by musical genres, which means that K-SVHI may not be a proper tool for evaluating voice handicap of singers in diverse voice music genres.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2001

Glottal incompetence is one of the causative condition of hoarseness. There have been various methods to improve the glottal conditions. Vocal fold augmentation by injection under direct visual control is a quick and simple operation. Various vocal fold augmentation procedures have developed in recent years. Phonosurgical vocal fold injection can be classified as superficial or deep, by the location of the injection. The choice of material fir vocal fold injection is critical and should be determined by the injection location, technique, and the pathologic condition. There are multiple approaches or methods for vocal f31d injection ; the most widely used are presented in detail in this article.