Voice Rehabilitation Practices among Head and Neck Surgeons

Abstract

Voice rehabilitation practices among head and neck surgeons were surveyed to determine the proportional contribution of various methods of speech support and the impact of recent developments in this field. Of the 400 head and neck surgeons contacted, 212 (53%) responded and 196 provided data. Noninvasive methods of speech support continue to predominate in this country. Esophageal speech is used by all surgeons in some of their patients. The introduction of tracheoesophageal puncture techniques for prosthetic placement has added a new dimension to speech rehabilitation and is used almost 30% of the time by those who use it (88% of surgeons surveyed). The proportional use of the most common methods of speech support is almost identical between head and neck surgeons of a general surgical background and otolaryngologists. The incidence of total failures to achieve voice rehabilitation is less than 10 %.