Case 77 (2008) 38 yo

She is 38 years old and has tried some vocal training, but says her voice fades by the end of the day and gets deeper with yelling.

These recordings are set to a fairly low resolution for the internet but do demonstrate the general sound and function of the vocal cords before and after this case of laryngeal reduction surgery. Much more detail is actually visible in the office. The videos when shown are oriented with the front down and the left vocal fold is on the right of the video. Orientation is discussed here. Please note: These examples of possible results should not be construed to represent what will be acheived in any other patient. Thus there are several examples of patients on the site

There are many components to a voice exam. I have selected ones here that I feel change the most with this type of surgery.

 

Pre Surgery

4 months

6 months

 

Reading passage

Pitch is described relative to C4 or middle C on the piano.

    

Pitch: about C3# - mid male range

(typical male speaking range about B2 - E3)

Pitch: about E3 (about 3 semitones higher than pre-op)

(normal female speaking range about E3 - A3)

Pitch: about

(normal female speaking range about E3 - A3)

 

Lowest pitch

      

Pitch: about G2 (normal male low range varies C1 - C3)

Pitch:

Pitch: about

  

Highest pitch

      

Pitch: about C5

Pitch:

Pitch: about

  

Vegetative sounds

coughing & throat clearing

      

 

 

 

  

Yell

loud phonation

      

 

 

 

  

Laryngoscopy

Views

        
 
 
 
  

Stroboscopy

saying the sound /i/

        
Views during phonation.
 
 
  
The surgeon’s comments:

She had a feminization laryngoplasty and a thyrohyoid elevation. I removed about 30% off the front of the vocal cords. She has not moved up as much as I would have liked, but has reached the bottom of the female range at four months in a relaxed voice. I think combined with a slight change in her resonance she is at a intermediate pitch where the clues of her speech could swing the listener one way or the other.