Voice-Related Quality of Life Outcomes from Pneumatic Artificial Laryngeal and Esophageal Speakers

Chen-Chi Wang; Jia-Shiou Liao; Hsiu-Chin Lai; Yi-Hsuan Lo

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.05.011

Voice-Related Quality of Life Outcomes from Pneumatic Artificial Laryngeal and Esophageal Speakers

J Voice. 2023 Nov;37(6):970.e19-970.e27. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.05.011. Epub 2021 Jul 3.

Authors

Chen-Chi Wang¹, Jia-Shiou Liao², Hsiu-Chin Lai³, Yi-Hsuan Lo³

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
² Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Speech and Language Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: jsliao@csmu.edu.tw.
³ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.

PMID: 34226090
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.05.011

Abstract

The self-reporting voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL) instrument has been viewed as a modular index of quality of life for speakers using tracheoesophageal, esophageal (ES), or electrolaryngeal speech. However, V-RQOL has never been studied with pneumatic artificial laryngeal (PA) individuals. This study attempted to quantify the self-assessed voice-related performance of PA and ES speakers in Taiwan via the V-RQOL questionnaire, and further to compare the results for PA and ES speakers.

Methods: V-RQOL was assessed in 79 PA and 25 ES speakers undergoing total laryngectomy without using tracheoesophageal puncture. Data were collected from members of Taiwan's Association of Laryngectomees.

Results: There was no significant difference between PA and ES participants in social-emotional, physical functioning and total scores, suggesting both may consider their quality of life comparable with each other. In ES participants, there was a significant effect of time after total laryngectomy in physical functioning and total scores.

Conclusions: PA speakers did not exhibit more dissatisfaction or disability than ES speakers on 10 statements in the V-RQOL, but after total laryngectomy the ES have been shown to improve over time. Information on the experience of PA and ES speakers could be used by clinicians to inform patients of potential outcomes, and help them select suitable rehabilitation techniques.

Keywords: Esophageal speech; Pneumatic artificial laryngeal speech; Quality of life; Total laryngectomy.

MeSH terms

Humans
Laryngectomy / adverse effects
Laryngectomy / rehabilitation
Larynx, Artificial*
Quality of Life / psychology
Speech, Esophageal
Voice Quality
Voice*