Retrospective longitudinal acoustic and perceptive study of substitution voice after partial laryngectomy

The goal of this longitudinal study in substitution voice after vertical and horizontal partial laryngectomy was i) to analyse perceptual and acoustic characteristics related to specific surgery, ii) to determine relevant acoustic measurements to classify voice quality. 30 male patients were recorded at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and 15 male controls. Two perceptual scales (GRB & IINFVo) were compared for relevance mean. Vowel [a, e, i, o, u] identification test was compared to acoustic analysis of the vocalic triangle to better understand the confusions. Long Term Average Spectrum (LTAS) could measure energy distribution in noisy voices. The first six months can be considered as an adaptation period for voicing features and improvement of breathy voice quality. Overlapping formant frequencies could explain the vocalic perceptual confusions. Voice and speech are better preserved with at least one vocal fold and the remaining of 2 arytenoids for neoglottic closure efficiency.