Results of Voice Rehabilitation With Provox Prosthesis and Factors Affecting the Voice Quality

Voice prosthesis is the standard of care for postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation. We aimed to assess functional outcomes of Provox voice prosthesis, to study the impact of several clinical factors (timing of Provox insertion, type of pharyngeal closure, requirement of reconstruction, performance of myotomy, and radiotherapy) on the functional outcomes, and to record the complications associated with Provox voice prosthesis.

Prospective nonrandomized cross-sectional observational study.

Thirty patients with postlaryngectomy speech rehabilitation with Provox prosthesis were studied. After the procedure, the patients were evaluated by a speech-language pathologist and assessed at immediate postoperative period and 6-month and 1-year interval using the parameters of functional outcomes GRBAS scale, maximal phonatory duration (MPD), and words per breath (WPB). SPSS Version 19 was used for statistical analysis.

All patients had average good voice at the end of 1 year after Provox insertion with voice quality results improving with time. Number of patients having MPD more than 7 was 21, 29, and 30 at 0 months, 6 months, and 1 year, respectively. At the end of 1 year, 11 patients had WPB score between 15 and 19. Seven patients had complications: periprosthetic leak (4), central leak (1), hypertonic segment (1), and stricture of the neopharynx (1). Primary Provox insertion, nonrequirement of postoperative radiation, cricopharyngeal myotomy, and primary and vertical closure of neopharynx had a better influence on the outcome; however, the results were not statistically significant.

Provox voice prosthesis provides consistent and good voice results, which improve with time. Periprosthetic leak is the most common complication.