Unilateral vocal fold paralysis: quality of voice after speech therapy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23938/S1137-6627/2016000100008Keywords:
Parálisis de cuerda vocal unilateral. Tratamiento logopédico.Abstract
Background. To describe demographic factors and voice quality parameters of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) after a voice therapy protocol.
Methods. Forty-seven patients with a diagnosis of UVFP by video-laryngoscopy were included. Voice therapy was applied to all patients during 15 sessions that were structured in three progressive stages. The objective was to train patients in vocal techniques, phonic-breathing coordination, blow control, vocal exercises for glottic closure and vocal setting. Glottal closure, Voice Handicap Index-10 for perception of voice impairment and GRBAS scale were used before and after the speech therapy.
Results. The average age was 51 years (range 20-80), 60% women. Surgery was the most frequent cause (72%), and 40% had a profession related to voice use. Median time from diagnosis to treatment was 5 months (2-12). After voice therapy, 80% had complete glottal closure, previously this had been 34% (p<0.001), the score of VHI-10 decreased from 24.24 to 16.09 points (p<0.001) and GRBAS values improved in all the qualities of voice (p<0.001). Only 8.5% of the patients required surgical intervention after treatment.
Conclusions. Voice therapy is effective as first line therapy in patients with UVFP, reserving medialization with non-absorbable material or thyroplasty surgery for those with a poor outcome. However, it is necessary to reduce the time it takes the patient to reach the Voice Unit after laryngoscopic diagnosis.
Keywords. Unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Voice therapy.
Downloads
References
1. DEJONCKERE PH, BRADLEY P, CLEMENTE P, CORNUT G, CREVIER-BUCHMAN L, FRIEDRICH G et al. A basic protocol for functional assessment of voice pathology, especially for investigating the efficacy of phonosurgical treatments and evaluating new assessment techniques. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2001; 258: 77-82.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s004050000299
2. YUMOTO E, OYAMADA Y, NAKANO K, NAKAYAMA Y, YAMASHITA Y. Three dimensional characteristics of the larynx with immobile vocal cord. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004; 130: 967-974.
https://doi.org/10.1001/archotol.130.8.967
3. PARNELL FW, BRANDENBURG JH. Vocal cord paralysis: a review of 100 cases. Laryngoscope 1970; 80: 1036-1045.
https://doi.org/10.1288/00005537-197007000-00002
4. NETTERVILLE JL, KORIWCHAK MJ, COUREY MS, WINKLE M, OSSOFF RH. Vocal fold paralysis following the anterior approach to the cervical spine. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1996; 105: 85-91.
https://doi.org/10.1177/000348949610500201
5. HIRANO M, FUJITA M, TANAKA S, FUJITA H. Vocal cord paralysis caused by esophageal cancer surgery. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1993; 102: 182-185.
https://doi.org/10.1177/000348949310200304
6. TITCHE L. Causes of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Arch Otolaryngol 1976; 102: 249-261.
https://doi.org/10.1001/archotol.1976.00780100045002
7. RAMADAN HH, WAX MK, AVERY S. Outcome and changing cause of unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998; 118: 199-202.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0194-5998(98)80014-4
8. SULICA L. The natural history of idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paralysis: evidence and problems. Laryngoscope 2008; 118: 1303-1307.
https://doi.org/10.1097/MLG.0b013e31816f27ee
9. TERRIS D, ARNSTIN D, NGUYEN H. Contemporary evaluation of unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1992; 107: 84-90.
https://doi.org/10.1177/019459989210700113
10. MISONO S, MERATI AL. Evidence-based practice evaluation and management of unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Otolaryngol Clin N Am 2012; 45: 1083-1088.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.otc.2012.06.011
11. DEJONCKERE PH, OBBENS C, DE MOOR GM, WIENKE GH. Perceptual evaluation of dysphonia: reliability and relevance. Folia Phoniatr 1993; 45: 76-83.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000266220
12. NÚÑEZ-BATALLA F, CORTE-SANTOS P, SEÑARI-GONZALEZ B, LLORENTE- PENDÁS JL, GÓRRIZ- GIL C, SUAREZ-NIETO C. Adaptación y validación del índice de incapacidad vocal (VHI-30) y su versión abreviada (VHI-10) al español. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2007; 58: 386-392.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-6519(07)74954-3
13. ROSEN C, LEE AS, OSBORNE J, ZULLO T, MURRY T. Development and validation of the voice handicap index-10. Laryngoscope 2004; 114: 1549-1556.
https://doi.org/10.1097/00005537-200409000-00009
14. FANG TJ, LEE LA, WANG CJ, LI HY, CHIANG HC. Intracordal fat assessment by 3 dimensional imaging after autologous fat injection in patients with thyroidectomy induced unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Surgery 2009; 146: 82-87.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2009.02.005
15. CHRISTOPOULOS A, SALIBA I, PÉLOQUIN L, AHMARANI C. The adjustable laryngeal implant. J Voice 2001; 15: 141-150.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0892-1997(01)00014-5
16. REITER R. BROSCH S. Laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. J Voice 2012; 26: 785-791.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2011.11.007
17. HEUER RJ, SATALOFF RT, EMERICH K, RULNICK R, BAROODY M, SPIEGEL JR et al. Unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis: the importance of "preoperative" voice therapy. J Voice 1997; 11: 88-94.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0892-1997(97)80028-8
18. KELCHNER LN, STEMPLE JC, GERDEMAN E, LE BORGNE W, ADAM S. Etiology, pathophysiology, treatment choices, and voice results for unilateral adductor vocal fold paralysis: a 3-year retrospective. J Voice 1999; 13: 592-601.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0892-1997(99)80013-7
19. D'ALATRI L, GALLA S, RIGANTE M, ANTONELLI O, BULDRINI S, MARCHESE MR et al. Role of early voice therapy in patients affected by unilateral vocal fold paralysis. J Laryngol Otol 2007; 24: 1-6.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215107000679
20. MATTIOLI F, BERGAMINI G, ALICANDRI-CIUFELLI M, MOLTENI G, LUPPI MP, NIZZOLI F et al. The role of early voice therapy in the incidence of motility recovery in unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Logoped Phoniatr Vocol 2011; 36: 40-47.
https://doi.org/10.3109/14015439.2011.554433
21. SCHINDLER A, BOTTERO A, CAPACCIO P, GINOCCHIO D, ADORNI F, OTTAVIANI F. Vocal improvement after voice therapy in unilateral vocal fold paralysis. J Voice 2008; 22: 113-118.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2006.08.004
22. MILLER S. Voice therapy for vocal fold paralysis. Otolaryngol Clin N Am 2004; 37: 105-119.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0030-6665(03)00163-4
23. GIOVANNI A, OUAKNINE M, GARREL R. Physiologie de la phonation. Encyl Méd Chir Paris: Elsevier SAS; 2003: 20-632-A-10.
24. CHEN X, WAN P, YU YM, LI M, XU Y, HUANG P et al. Types and timing of therapy for vocal fold paresis/paralysis after thyroidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Voice 2014; 28: 799-808.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2014.02.003
25. MATTIOLI F, MENICHETTI M, BERGAMINI G, MOLTENI G, ALBERICI MP, LUPPI MP et al. Results of early versus intermediate versus delayed voice therapy in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis: our experience in 171 patients. J Voice 2014; doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2014.09.027.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2016 Anales del Sistema Sanitario de Navarra

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
La revista Anales del Sistema Sanitario de Navarra es publicada por el Departamento de Salud del Gobierno de Navarra (España), quien conserva los derechos patrimoniales (copyright ) sobre el artículo publicado y favorece y permite la difusión del mismo bajo licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional (CC BY-SA 4.0). Esta licencia permite copiar, usar, difundir, transmitir y exponer públicamente el artículo, siempre que siempre que se cite la autoría y la publicación inicial en Anales del Sistema Sanitario de Navarra, y se distinga la existencia de esta licencia de uso.


