Objectives: Objective and subjective evaluation of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNTA) treatment for adductor type spasmodic dysphonia is presented. Therefore, a combinatorial approach based on patients’ and speech experts’ assessment of voice impairment, as well as on the acoustic analysis of spoken standardized text was performed. Study design: Prospective clinical study. Materials and methods: Fo...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the short-term outcomes of using cross-linked porcine collagen for vocal fold augmentation. STUDY DESIGN Case series with planned data collection. SETTING Tertiary referral hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Twenty consecutive patients of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) were recruited, including 10 males and 10 females. All the subjects received videolaryngostrobo...

This paper describes an advanced human-computer interface that combines real-time, reactive and high fidelity virtual humans with artificial vision and communicative intelligence to create a closed-loop interaction model and achieve an affective interface. The system, called the Virtual Human Interface (VHI), utilizes a photo-real facial and body model as a virtual agent to convey information b...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To compare voice handicap and quality of life after radiotherapy (RT) versus transoral laser surgery (LS) for T1a glottic carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study (1996-2011) of patients treated with RT or LS for T1a glottic squamous cell carcinoma with curative intent. METHODS Disease-free patients were assessed using Voice Handicap Index (VHI 30) and European Orga...

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in acoustic features of speech after tonsillectomy and to establish concepts of patient management and rational therapeutic approach. Before and 1 month after surgery, phonetically balanced sentences and sustained vowels a, e, i were carried out and digitalized with Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (Kay Elemetrics, Lincoln Park, NJ) in all the patien...

BACKGROUND A patient's self-assessment of his/hers vocal problem and the analysis of the results of a treatment are means used to verify the effectiveness of an intervention and to develop directive procedures for clinical health practice. Psychometric instruments are the most common tools used to perform this task. Validation of self-assessment instruments may be carried out in several ways; h...

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to investigate the connections between voice ergonomic risk factors found in classrooms and voice-related problems in teachers. METHODS Voice ergonomic assessment was performed in 39 classrooms in 14 elementary schools by means of a Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment--Handbook and Checklist. The voice ergonomic risk factors assessed included wor...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Vocal process granuloma has been attributed to intubation, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and phonotraumatic/hyperfunctional vocal behaviors. Vocal process granuloma has recurrence rates following surgical excision approaching 92%. We hypothesize that a portion of persistent or idiopathic cases of vocal process granuloma result from underlying glottal insufficiency (GI) caused ...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study has been to assess the larynx and soft tissue around the vocal tract in a group of people with healthy voice, and in a group of patients with occupational dysphonia using the new laryngeal manual therapy palpatory evaluation scale (LMTPE). MATERIAL AND METHODS The examinations were performed in a study (dysphonic) group of professional voice users who had deve...