Acquisition of esophageal speech subsequent to learning pharyngeal speech: an unusual case study

Laryngectomees who are delayed in obtaining alaryngeal voice therapy may develop pharyngeal voice, an undesirable type of alaryngeal voice. Pharyngeal voice is usually self-developed; however, it may also be acquired in the clinical setting when the patient is being taught to inject air for esophageal sound production. This report describes the principal findings involving a laryngectomee who had developed and used pharyngeal speech as his primary method of communication for two years prior to enrollment in alaryngeal voice therapy. A clinical technique that was found to be successful in altering the pharyngeal voice to esophageal voice is reported. Findings pertaining to the overall intelligibility as well as vocal fundamental frequency of the two different types of alaryngeal speech are included.