Effects of short-term endotracheal intubation on vocal function

Transient voice change associated with endotracheal intubation has generally been attributed to vocal fold trauma. To assess the role of altered vocal fold function in transient voice change, a study was designed to evaluate the audioacoustic, endoscopic, and laryngostroboscopic characteristics of the postintubation voice. Vocal function of 10 patients undergoing short-term outpatient surgical procedures using general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation were studied preoperatively and postoperatively. A second group of 10 patients that did not have surgery or general anesthesia was used as an age-matched control. Fundamental frequency, frequency perturbation, electroglottography, endoscopy (including laryngeal stroboscopy), and subjective speech analysis by experienced listeners were used to assess vocal function. No consistent differences in fundamental frequency were observed, although patient-to-patient variation was marked. Statistically significant increases in cycle-to-cycle fundamental frequency variation (jitter) were found postoperatively in the majority of the postintubation patients (P less than 0.05). Electroglottography, laryngeal endoscopy, and stroboscopic laryngoscopy did not demonstrate consistent changes in glottic mucosal function. Listener judgments characterized the postintubation voice change by decreased intensity, increased roughness, and lowered affect without consistent changes in pitch. The perception of decreased affect in the voices (characterized by reduction in pitch variation, vocal stress, and increases in pause times) was a strong perceptual marker for change in the post-intubation voice. Objective measures of laryngeal function suggest that the glottic contribution to postintubation voice change is minimal and that this dysphonia is probably multifactorial.