Voice and swallowing in patients enrolled in a larynx preservation trial

The main goals of larynx preservation protocols are preservation of a functional larynx with intact voice and maintenance of normal deglutition. However, few studies have addressed functional outcomes.

To evaluate voice and swallowing in patients enrolled in a larynx preservation protocol.

Acoustic analysis of 15 patients and videofluoroscopic evaluation of 14 patients who underwent chemoradiotherapy in an attempt to preserve the larynx.

Forty-three patients with larynx or hypopharynx squamous cell carcinomas were treated with weekly paclitaxel (30 mg/m2) and cisplatin (20 mg/m2) concurrent to radiotherapy (180-rad/d fraction [1.8 Gy] to 7040 rad [70.4 Gy]). Voice was analyzed perceptually and acoustically in 15 patients. Videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing was performed in 14 patients, focusing on oropharyngeal motility disorders, stasis, laryngeal penetration, aspiration, and dysphagia severity.

Vocal analysis produced normal results in 1 patient, mild dysphonia in 4, moderate dysphonia in 6, and severe dysphonia in 4. The mean fundamental frequency for acoustic analysis was 131.4 Hz for men and 109.8 Hz for women. Acoustic measures of perturbation and noise were above the reference limits, indicating changes in the voice signal. Swallowing analysis showed inefficient bolus preparation in 13 patients and changes in the bolus propulsion in 12. Stasis was observed in all areas of the oropharynx. Five patients had reduction in laryngeal elevation, and 12 had stasis in the hypopharynx. Five patients presented with silent aspiration. We detected functional swallowing in 3 patients, mild dysphagia in 7, mild or moderate dysphagia in 2, and severe dysphagia in 2.

Laryngeal preservation resulted in voice and swallowing abnormalities, but they tend to be mild to moderate, allowing intelligible communication and efficient swallowing in most patients.