[Effect of polypectomy on voice quality]

Voice quality and improvement after vocal cord polypectomy was assessed in 15 patients. The polyps were found by indirect observation; assessment of vocal quality was by recording isolated vowels, words and sentences said in Hebrew before operation and 1 and 3 months later. The recordings were analyzed using a computer program written at the Medical Electronics Laboratory of The Technion. Analysis of the 5 Hebrew vowels (a,e,i,o,u) yielded numerical and graphical data of formats specific for each utterance and speaker. These data were compared with control data taken from the literature for healthy Hebrew speakers. Statistical analysis (by paired t-test for matched samples) revealed a tendency to a decrease in difference between postoperative results and control data. Comparison of preoperative recordings with control data suggest that this method of voice condition assessment is worth considering for systematic application in clinics and hospitals. Among its advantages is that it permits long-term objective assessment of changes in voice quality. It thus supplies data for follow-up studies of patients and others who suffer from voice problems, especially those whose voice is their professional tool.