Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation
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Comparative Study
Comparing the long-term outcome of immediate postoperative facial nerve dysfunction and vocal fold immobility after parotid and thyroid surgery.
⋯ A higher immediate postoperative rate of transient facial nerve dysfunction is reported compared with vocal fold immobility in parotid and thyroid surgery, respectively (P < 0.05). Immediate postoperative facial nerve dysfunction with an electrophysiologically response at 1 mA and an anatomically intact facial nerve during parotid surgery resulted in a complete return of function in all cases in this series. Immediate postoperative vocal fold immobility with an electrophysiological response at 1 mA and an anatomically intact recurrent laryngeal nerve had a 30% rate of being permanent in this series.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Double-blind study on the effects of topical anesthesia on laryngeal secretions.
The application of topical anesthesia to the oropharynx is a common clinical practice during oral and nasal laryngoscopy. Clinically, questions have been raised about whether topical anesthesia alters laryngeal secretions, which distorts clinical impressions. A double-blind, placebo controlled design was employed to address this issue. ⋯ Null results in this data set replicate and extend previously reported findings by other authors. An incidental but potentially interesting finding was that the order of treatment condition (anesthesia versus placebo first) seemed relevant for secretions: Subjects who received the anesthesia condition first tended to show more secretion balling in general, as compared with subjects who received the placebo condition first. Speculation is entertained regarding possible physiological pathways for these incidental findings, which could be relevant for some clinical practice.
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Several studies revealed a high percentage of voice problems in future teachers. The influence of vocal constitution on the vocal endurance is, however, still unclear. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether the increase of voice fundamental frequency (F0) during teaching is caused by (1) autonomic regulation patterns under stress, (2) anxiety as an emotional factor, or (3) limitations in voice constitution. ⋯ No effect of state or trait anxiety on voice endurance could be detected. Thus, the increase of fundamental frequency of voice has to be regarded as a consequence of vocal fatigue. A constitutionally weak voice seems to be a risk factor for developing a professional voice disorder.
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Comparative Study
The singing power ratio as an objective measure of singing voice quality in untrained talented and nontalented singers.
A growing body of contemporary research has investigated differences between trained and untrained singing voices. However, few studies have separated untrained singers into those who do and do not express abilities related to singing talent, including accurate pitch control and production of a pleasant timbre (voice quality). This investigation studied measures of the singing power ratio (SPR), which is a quantitative measure of the resonant quality of the singing voice. ⋯ Long-term average spectra (LTAS) were also analyzed. Results indicated significant differences in SPR between groups, which suggest that vocal tract resonance, and its effect on perceived vocal timbre or quality, may be an important variable related to the perception of singing talent. LTAS confirmed group differences in the tuning of vocal tract harmonics.
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The purpose of the study was to determine if inspiratory muscle training (IMT) would result in increased inspiratory muscle strength, reduced perception of exertional dyspnea, and improved measures of maximal exercise effort in an athlete with exercise-induced paradoxical vocal fold motion (PVFM). The participant, an 18-year-old woman, had a 2-year history of acute dyspnea with exertion during soccer games. Spirometry, transnasal flexible laryngoscopy, and patient history supported a PVFM diagnosis. ⋯ At end of the study, the participant reported experiencing no PVFM symptoms when performing the outcome measurement tasks and when playing soccer. Transnasal flexible laryngoscopy, after strenuous exercise and during rapid breathing and phonation tasks, revealed normal laryngeal findings. The findings suggest that IMT may be a promising treatment approach for athletes with exercise-induced PVFM.