• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 2001

Background : Electrolarynx, Esophageal voice, and Silicone voice prosthesis with tracheoesophageal(T-E) fistula have been used as vocal rehabilitating methods for the post-laryngectomized patients. Prosthetic rehabilitation of voice after total laryngectomy has gained wide acceptance and has become a common practice in many clinics since the pioneering works of Singer and Blom In 1979. Since the introduction of tracheo-esophageal puncture and application of Blom Singer$\circledR$ voice prosthesis in 1980, several reliable voice prostheses have been developed and are successfully being used. Objectives : Even though quality of voice produced by Silicone voice prosthesis with T-E fistula is superior to other modalities, it still has some disadvantages. We devised a new cannulatyped silicone voice prosthesis. Methods : 1) Devising a new prototype of cannula-typed silicone voice prosthesis. 2) Application of the prototype using canine animal model(laryngectormized dog) and fitting trial on human patient whose previously inserted Silicone voice prosthesis is not functioning due to presumed fungal infection. Discussion : Final form of prototype was made after several times of major and minor modifications. Insertion of the newly developed Cannula-typed Silicone voice prosthesis on canine animal model and human trial were done without any difficulty. There were no serious leakage of saliva or food during swallowing. Conclusion : The newly developed Cannula-typed Silicone voice prosthesis(So-Mang$\circledR$) and the modified replacement method will further improve the results of post-laryngectomized prosthetic voice rehabilitation. Long-term animal study and human trial are planned in the near future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2008

Total laryngectomy is the most useful procedure tor advanced laryngopharyngeal cancer, but it remains the major problem such as loss of voice. Voice restoration is essential for every patients who undergo a total laryngectomy. Ideal voice rehabilitation methods can resolve three factors. First, every laryngectomee can produce voice sufficient for communication, second every patient should be allowed to use both hands freely during phonation, and last, the voice restoration methods should be easy and safe without complication during and after treatment. Among various voice rehabilitation procedures during or after total laryngectomy, it can be divided electronic and pneumatic methods. In pneumatic methods, there are also divided both pulmonary air and non-pulmonary air methods. The non-pulmonary air methods include esophageal speech, buccal speech, and pharyngeal speech. Pulmonary air methods are divided into surgical and non-surgical such as pneumatic speech aid. In the surgical methods, there are neoglottic operation, tracheopharyngeal shunt, and tracheopharyngeal shunt operations. Recently, tracheoesophageal shunt with or without prosthesis are being recognized the most effective method. Blom-Singer low pressure prosthesis, Panje button, and Provox are well known types of prosthesis in the tracheoesophageal shunt operation. Amatsu method is a kind of famous tracheoesophageal shunt method without using prosthesis. Authors tried to review the published articles for evaluation of effectiveness and problems of tracheoesophageal shunt operation with or without prosthesis. In conclusion, indwelling type of prosthesis and pharyngeal myotomy and plexus neurectomy are recommended for higher success rate during tracheoesophageal puncture procedure. More over, Amatsu method is also one of the recommended voice rehabilitation procedure during total laryngectomy. In this situation, pharyngeal myotomy and plexus neurectomy may be helpful for better fluent communication.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.141-144
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• 2004

Background and Objectives : To compare acoustic, aerodynamic analysis of voice and intelligibility score in patients with near-total laryngectomy and implantation of Provox prothesis. Material and Methods : In order to evaluate the voice characteristics, acoustic, aerodynamic parameter and speech intelligibility were measured in 5 patients after near-total laryngectomy, 5 patients after implantation of Provox prosthesis with total bility were measured in 5 patients after near-total laryngectomy, 5 patients after implantation of Provox prosthesis with total laryngectomy and 10 adults normal speaker. Acoustic analysis was carried out using CSL and aerodynamic analysis was carried out using Aerophon II. Speech sample was recorded and 10 listener was scored for speech intelligibility using a percentage of words correctly identified. Results. Fundamental frequency($F_0$), intensity, jitter, shimmer, maximal phonation time(MPT), subglottic air pressure were used for parameters for voice analysis. There were no significant difference between two group except on fundamental frequency and shimmer. The fundamental frequency was higher in patients with near-total laryngectomy and shimmer was higher in patients after implantation of Provox prosthesis with total laryngectomy. In addition, speech intelligibility was no significant difference between two groups. Conclusion : This results confirm that near-total laryngectomy and implantation of Provox prosthesis provides good voice rehabilitation.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 1999

Background and Objectives : Provox, a recently developed tracheoesophageal prosthesis, had been widely used for voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy for its low resistance and easiness of speech ability. But, long-term use of Provox resulted in many complications and resulted in cessation of Provox as a primary method of vocal rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to report Provox-related problems and the long-term results of Provox voice prosthesis. Materials and Methods : Medical records from patients who had undergone total laryngectomy with Provox insertion at seoul National University Hospital between January 1993 and December 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Results : 36 patients had used 79 Provox voice prostheses during the observed period. The most common complication causing prosthesis change or removal was leakage and/or aspiration, followed by granulation formation, crusting and/or obstruction, and non-function. Median in situ lifetime of Provox was 274 days and 1-year-in situ rate was 31.0% Among 36 patients, 17 patients had undergone tracheoesophageal shunt closure at the last follow-up visit. 10 patients had complications but got along without further treatments, and 1 patient changed to Blom-Singer voice prosthesis. Only 8 patients experienced no complication, and 5 out of whom had several times of Provox change. Conclusion : long-term use of Provox resulted in discontinuation of its use due to complications in many cases. A better voice prosthesis with lower complication rate and longer in situ lifetime is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 1991

Selected characteristics were compared in the speech of three tracheoesophageal, five tracheopharyngeal and ten normal laryngeal adult speakers. Tracheoesophageal speakers use Blom-Singer voice prosthesis after total laryngectomy and tracheopharyngeal speakers use tracheopharyngeal myomucosal shunt after near-total laryngectomy. Intelligibility judgement was based on standard Korean monosyllabic and bisyllabic word lists of 50 items. Aerodynamic study was composed of maximum phonation time, phonaton quotient. phonation pressure and mean air flow rate. Results indicate that intelligibility of tracheopharygeal speech is more similar to normal laryngeal speech than tracheoesophageal speech using Blom-Singer voice prosthesis.

• Proceedings of the KSLP Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.167-167
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• 2001

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : Esophageal voice, Silicone voice Prosthesis with tracheo-esophageal (T-E) puncture have been used as vocal rehabilitation methods for postlaryngectomy. However, long-term follow-up in the voice rehabilitation in the total laryngectomees has not been reported. The purpose of this study is to analyze practice of postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation and to find the effective voice rehabilitation. Materials and Methods : From Jan 1992 until June 2002, 75 patients underwent a total laryngectomy at Yongdong Severance Hospital. We retrospectively studied voice rehabilitation methods commonly used, acquisition levels of esophageal speech, patients satisfaction scale (5 rating scale) according to the methods in 33 of them (40 died, 2 unavailable) by using charts review, telephone interview. Results : T-E speech is most commonly used by 14 patients (42.4%) : A tracheo-esophageal procedure (primary or secondary puncture) by 21 : and 8 patients removed Provox. 1 patient had no voice rehabilitation. 7 patients (21.2%) have used esophageal speech : 4 patients of them have used it after removing Provox. Electrolarynx has been used with other voice rehabilitation methods : 4 patients have only used this method and 3 patients with T-E speech, 1 patient with esophageal speech. However, 6 patients (18%) remained without a substitute voice rehabilitation. In the satisfaction with speech and management of voice rehabilitation methods, patients using esophageal speech were most satisfied (4.1), patients with T-E speech were unsatisfied (2.3). Regarding with the acquisition level of esophageal speech in 33 patients, 22 patients (66.6%) failed without functional speech. Conclusion : To increase patients satisfaction and to achieve successful voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy, preoperative counseling, pretesting, appropriate patient selection of each method and team decision-making and postoperative voice therapy must be considered.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2013

PURPOSE. To longitudinally assess the quality of life in maxillectomy patients rehabilitated with obturator prosthesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Thirty-six subjects were enrolled in the span of 16 months, out of which six were dropouts. Subjects (age group 20-60 years) with maxillary defects, irrespective of the cause, planned for definite obturator prosthesis, were recruited. The Hindi version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Head and Neck version 1 of Quality of Life Questionnaire was used before surgical intervention and one month after definitive obturator. Questionnaire includes 35 questions related to the patient's physical health, well being, psychological status, social relation and environmental conditions. The data were processed with statistical package for social science (SPSS). Probability level of P<.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS. The quality of life after rehabilitation with obturator prosthesis was 81.48% (${\pm}13.64$) on average. On item-level, maximum mean scores were obtained for items problem with teeth ($1.87{\pm}0.94$), pain in mouth ($1.80{\pm}0.92$), trouble in eating ($1.70{\pm}0.88$), trouble in talking to other people ($1.60{\pm}1.22$), problems in swallowing solid food ($1.57{\pm}1.22$) and bothering appearance ($1.53{\pm}1.04$); while minimum scores were obtained for the items coughing ($1.17{\pm}0.38$), hoarseness of voice ($1.17{\pm}0.53$), painful throat ($1.13{\pm}0.43$), trouble in having social contacts with friends ($1.10{\pm}0.40$) and trouble having physical contacts with family or friends ($1.10{\pm}0.31$). CONCLUSION. Obturator prosthesis is a highly positive and non-invasive approach to improve the quality of life of patients with maxillectomy defects.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.177-181
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• 1998

Provox is now widely used for voice rehabilitation for total laryngectomized patient because of its low airway resistance and easiness for phonation. This study was designed to reveal the influence of radiation therapy on Proven complications. Forty-four patients who underwent total laryngectomy were grouped into group A (no radiation), group B(radiation and then Provox insertion), group C(Proven insertion and then radiation). Provox complications were leakage, granulation tissue formation, malfunction and infection. The average survival time of Provox was longer in group C (9.2 me) than group A(8.6 m) or group B (7.3 me), but no statistical significance was found. The first time of Provox change was 10.2, 8.6 and 9.7 months respectively. The incidence of complication was not significantly different among groups. The cases of Provox remeval due to shunt failure were 5, 4 and 2 respectively. Even though a significant statistically difference was not found partialy due to the small numbers of patients, a special caution should be exercised in inserting Provox to prevent a serious complication for the patients who had a history of previous radiation.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2005

Cleft lip and palate is a congenital deformity which needs a professional and consistent management from the birth and along with the physical growth of patients. The patients with cleft lip and palate can have general speech problems with resonance disorders, voice disorders and articulation disorders after the successful primary surgical management and the physical growth. Speech problems of Cleft lip and palate are characterized hypernasality, nasal air emission, increased nasal air flow, and aberrant speech marks which decrease intelligibility. These speech problems of cleft lip and palate can be treated with the secondary surgical procedure, the application of temporary prosthesis and the effective and well-timed speech therapy. The speech and language problems of cleft lip and palate, the general procedures and schedules of the speech assessment and therapy based on the multidisciplinary approach are introduced for the patients with cleft lip and palate, their family and the other members of the cleft palate treatment team.