• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2017

Background and Objectives : Though voice therapy is proven to be effective in academia, treatment results and satisfaction level are inconsistent in clinics. The inconsistency may rise from diverse vocal cords misuse patterns in patient population as they suffer from different diseases or have bad phonation habits. In order to overcome the limitation, we uniformized patients' vocal cords with injection laryngoplasty prior to voice therapy. The efficacy of voice therapy and consistency in treatment results after injection laryngoplasty were assessed. Materials and Methods : Patients diagnosed with vocal nodules were either treated with injection laryngoplasty followed by voice therapy (combined treatment group) or voice therapy only (voice therapy group). Each group consisted of 15 patients. Acoustic measures (jitter, shimmer, NHR), aerodynamic measures (MPT, Psub, MAFR), and subjective auditory conscious measures (K-VHI, K-VRQOL) between two groups were analyzed. Results : After treatments, both groups improved in terms of acoustic, aerodynamic, and subjective auditory conscious measures compared to pre-treatment. Combined treatment group had statistically significantly greater improvement in shimmer, P in K-VHI, and PF in K-VRQOL compared to voice therapy group. Conclusion : Injection laryngoplasty treatment prior to voice therapy synergizes in treating patients compared to voice therapy only.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1983.05a
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• pp.11.2-11
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• 1983

Vocal nodules and polyps are much more frequent in singers, public speakers, teachers and actors. Voice trauma and voice misuse, at times associated with mild inflammatory reaction, appear to be important in their etiology. It is generally agreed that vocal cord nodules and polyps are inflammatory in nature and they arise in the subepithelial layer of loose connective tissue of the vocal cord. Since the junction of anterior and middle thirds of the membranous cord and has the greatest amplitude of vibration. This is the site of predilection for vocal cord nodules. The author performed laryngomicrosurgery for 70 cases of vocal nodules and polyps at Ewha Womans University Hospital during the period of 5 years. The result obtained were as follows ; 1) Surgical excision is not necessarily the best approach because vocal nodules in the early stages will resolve with the simplest voice therapy. 2) In children, surgery is rarely indicated because most nodules in children regress during adolescence. 3) For patients who use their voices professionally, voice therapy is indicated for three months. 4) If after three month of conservative treatment the cord lesion does not improve and the patient it still dissatisfied with his voice, laryngomicrosurgery can then be considered. 5) The small cuffed endotracheal tube in the interarytenoid space helps to keep the cords immobile and in an abducted position. 6) Removal of the nodule shoule be started by gentle retraction posteriorly and as soon as a tear appears anterior to the nodule. 7) On occasion it is preferable to start the dissection with a siccle knife while the nodule is held on the stretch. 8) Voice rest should be maintained for a week following which the free edges of the cords are usually healed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2006

Background and Objectives : Functional dysphonia is a voice disturbance in the absence of structural or neurologic laryngeal pathology characterized by voluntary misuse of laryngeal muscles. The present report reviews clinical characteristics of 25 patients with functional dysphonia. Materials and Method : We analyzed medical records, perceptual and acoustic analysis of voice samples, aerodynamic studies and laryngoscopy. Results : There was no sex or age predilection. Eighty four percent of patients presented sudden onset of symptoms and 76% had specific events at the onset. Most patients showed breathy or strained voice and various degree of vocal fold insufficiency with supraglottic compensatory contractions. Acoustic analysis revealed non-diagnostic, but mean flow rate was lower than normal in all cases. All patients responded to voice therapy except for 4 patients who were tort to follow up. Mean number of voice therapy sessions required to get responses is 1.9 sessions. Conclusion : We concluded that patients with functional dysphonia responded very well to short-term voice therapy and should be included in differential diagnosis in patients with dysphonia cannot be explained by structural or neurologic etiology.