Spectrographic differences between tracheal-esophageal and esophageal voice

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Acoustic Analysis

Background:

• Total laryngectomy necessitates voice and speech rehabilitation.
• Two primary methods include esophageal speech and tracheal-esophageal voice prostheses.
• Objective acoustic evaluation is crucial for assessing rehabilitation outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the acoustic parameters of voice rehabilitation methods after total laryngectomy.
• To correlate objective acoustic findings with subjective speech acceptability.

Main Methods:

• Acoustic analysis of fundamental frequency, jitter, and shimmer was performed.
• 18 total laryngectomy patients were evaluated: 8 with a tracheal-esophageal phonatory valve and 10 with esophageal speech.
• Subjective speech acceptability scores were collected.

Main Results:

• Tracheal-esophageal speech demonstrated a more stable fundamental frequency and clearer harmonics.
• Jitter and shimmer values in tracheal-esophageal speech were closer to normal values than in esophageal speech.
• A significant correlation was found between objective acoustic parameters and subjective speech acceptability.

Conclusions:

• Tracheal-esophageal voice rehabilitation yields superior acoustic results post-laryngectomy.
• The improved outcomes are attributed to a more regular vibration pattern and efficient expiratory flow.
• Objective acoustic measures effectively predict subjective speech quality and acceptability.