• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2013

Background and Objectives:This study is to objectively compare and analyze the acoustic changes in the patients with total thyroidectomy before and after RI therapy. Subjects and Methods:For this study, a total of 50 patients with total thyroidectomy were participated as subjects. Voice samples were obtained at the time of post-operation (Post-OP), before high-dose radioactive iodine therapy (Pre-RIT), and after high-dose radioactive iodine therapy (Post-RIT). Acoustic analysis, the maximum phonation time and K-VHI (Korea-Voice handicap index) were used for subjective evaluation. Results:According to the comparison analysis of the three periods, mFo (Hz) was significantly reduced in all of the vowels /a/ and /i/ as the hormone was discontinued. This can be related to the reduction in vocal range. As thyroid hormone was discontinued, Shim (%) and APQ (%) values, which are the parameters related to the degree of aggressiveness, showed a significant increase in the middle vowel /a/. As thyroid hormone was discontinued, emotional index was significantly decreased in VHI (voice handicap index). Conclusion:These results can be assumed that thyroid hormone suspension is related to the increased changes in the vocal intensity, the increase in noise and the reduction in vocal range. Emotionally, these data can be assumed that the responsive factors of one's own voice disorders were significantly decreased in the patients with vocal handicap.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.37-45
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Korean Singing Voice Handicap Index (K-SVHI) was suitable for singers in other genres than vocal music to assess their vocal problems subjectively. Twenty six college students majoring in vocal music and twenty six students majoring in applied music were included in the study. They were divided into G0 and G1 in voice quality using the GRBAS scale during the tasks of singing. K-SVHI was divided into three sub-areas (Physical, Functional, and Emotional). In the singing task, both groups showed no significant difference between K-SVHI scores by G scale. In the reading task, the vocal music group had significantly higher K-SVHI in G0 than in G1 in K-SVHIs by G scale, while the applied vocal music group had significantly higher K-SVHI in G1 than in G0. Also, the two groups were not significantly different in G0, G1 in the singing task while the vocal music group showed higher K-SVHI than the applied vocal music group in G0 in the reading task. In addition, the vocal music group had higher K-SVHI than the applied vocal music group in G1 in both tasks. As comparing by groups in three sub-areas of K-SVHI, significant differences were found in the Emotional and Functional area. Those results showed that singers felt their voice problems differently by musical genres, which means that K-SVHI may not be a proper tool for evaluating voice handicap of singers in diverse voice music genres.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Functional aphonia refers to in which by presenting whispering voice and almost producing very high-pitched tensed voices are produced. Voice therapy is the most effective treatment, but there is a lack of consensus for application of voice therapy. The purpose of this study was to examine the vocal characteristics of functional aphonia and the effect of voice therapy applied accordingly. Materials and Method From October 2019 to December 2020, 11 patients with functional aphonia were treated using voice therapy which was processing three stages such as vocal hygiene, trial therapy, and behavioral therapy. Of these, 7 patients who completed the voice evaluation before and after voice therapy was enrolled in this study. By retrospective chart review, clinical information such as sex, age, symptoms, duration, social and medical history, process of voice therapy, subjective and objective findings were analyzed. Voice parameters before and after voice therapy were compared. Results In GRBAS study, grade, rough, and asthenic, and in Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice, overall severity, roughness, pitch, and loudness were significantly improved after voice therapy. In Voice handicap index, all of the scores of total and sub-categories were significantly decreased. In objective voice analysis, jitter, cepstral peak prominence, and maximum phonation time were significantly improved. Conclusion The voice therapy was effective for the treatment of functional aphonia by restoring patient's vocalization and improving voice quality, pitch and loudness.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.37-40
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• 2018

Background and Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate patients' subjective and objective outcomes after laryngeal microsurgery for benign vocal fold (VF) lesions, and to identify usefulness of surgical treatment. Materials and Methods : The authors reviewed the 102 patients medical records, retrospectively who received laryngeal microsurgery for benign VF lesions from January 2013 to August 2017. Subjective voice were measured using the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Objective voice were recorded with Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) just before surgery, and after at least 3 months of surgery. Results : Benign VF lesions were categorized as VF nodule (n=34, 33%), VF Polyp (n=47, 26%), Intracordal cyst (n=15, 15%), Reinke's edema (n=6, 6%), and VF Papilloma (n=2, 2%). Post-operative voice assessment at VHI scores showed statistically significant reductions in all of functional, physical and emotional parts (p<0.001). MDVP were showed significant improvement of Jitter (P=0.001), Shimmer (p<0.001) and Noise to Harmonic Ratio (NHR) (p=0.001). Conclusion : Laryngeal microsurgery for benign vocal fold lesions is effective treatment with statistically significant improvement at subjective and objective vocal quality assessment.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.67-74
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• 2021

This study examines the effectiveness of semi-occluded vocal tract exercise (SOVTE) conducted through telepractice for 10 female teachers who have experienced vocal discomfort while working in early childhood education facilities (childcare centers, kindergartens). The effects of SOVTE conducted through telepractice were evaluated based on the Korean voice handicap index (KVHI), the Korean version of the voice activity and participation profile (K-VAPP), vocal effort, and auditory perception evaluation by using the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale. The results show that total, functional, and physical scores of KVHI significantly reduced after SOVTE. The total score in K-VAPP significantly reduced after SOVTE. Moreover, vocal effort significantly decreased after SOVTE. However, statistically significant differences were not noted in GRB scales before and after SOVTE. In conclusion, early childhood teachers experienced reduced vocal discomfort SOVTE conducted through telepractice. The study results indicate that voice therapy conducted through telepractice is an effective method for reducing vocal discomfort in early childhood teachers.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.123-129
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• 2016

This study investigates the relationship between dysphonia severity index(DSI) and voice handicap index(VHI). Seventeen patients with a vocal nodule and twenty patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux(LPR) patients participated in this study. Results showed that there is no significant difference in either DSI or VHI between vocal nodule and LPR patients, with a weak negative correlation between DSI and VHI. Results also showed that there is significant difference only in both MPT and Fhi of all DSI parameters between vocal nodule and LPR patients. These results suggest that voice evaluation should be conducted both objectively in terms of acoustical and aerodynamic parameters and subjectively in terms of GRBAS and VHI.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2009

Purpose : To find out correlation between the Vocal indicators and the 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire'. Method : The 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire' is given to 83 healthy adults and collected their voice /a/ /e/ /i/ /o/ /u/. Analyze mean values of each factors of the Vocal indicators and the 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire'. Conclusions : R square values of /i/ sound in factor 1 and factor 3 of 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire' are noticeably high. The value of vocal diagnosis index F0, Fundamental Frequency, in Factor 1 and factor 3 of 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire' are considerable. The research has shown conclusively that there is a link between The value of vocal diagnosis index F0 and Factor 3, lung deficiency factor, of 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire'.

• Journal of Clinical Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.229-234
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• 2018

Background and Objectives : Vocal nodules occur with a 12-22% prevalence in pediatric populations. Most otolaryngologists recommend voice therapy as the primary treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate patient compliance with voice therapy and its effect on vocal nodules in children. Materials and Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 44 pediatric patients between 3 and 11 years old diagnosed with vocal nodules between March 2015 and December 2017. We evaluated the treatment adoption rate, dropout rate during voice therapy, and reasons for dropout. For patients who completed voice therapy, we measured the changes in nodule size, perceptual parameters, and acoustic parameters. We evaluated patient satisfaction using the pediatric voice handicap index (P-VHI). Results : Of the 44 pediatric patients diagnosed with vocal nodules, 22 (50%) agreed to voice therapy. Of the 22 patients who started voice therapy, 5 (22.7%) dropped out during therapy because they were unsatisfied with their treatment. Another 4 patients discontinued therapy for reasons unrelated to treatment effectiveness. Vocal nodule disappeared or decreased in all 13 patients who completed voice therapy. All voice parameters were improved and statistically significant changes were observed in perceptual, acoustic, and P-VHI parameters. Conclusions : Although compliance to voice therapy among the pediatric patients with vocal nodules was low, there were significant improvements in voice parameters for those who completed voice therapy. A change toward a positive perception of voice therapy is necessary and a multidisciplinary approach is needed to improve the effect of voice therapy on pediatric patients with vocal nodules.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2016

Background and Objectives : After thyroidectomy, many patients experience problems report such things as reduced voice range and vocal fatigue, swallowing problems without superior and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate voice and swallowing problems before and after thyroid surgery without laryngeal nerve injury. Materials and Methods : Ninety-three patients who underwent thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury and completed the follow-up evaluations were studied between June 2013 and December 2015. Each evaluation was performed preoperatively, as well as 1 week, 1 month postoperatively. Analysis was performed including voice handicap index (VHI), dysphagia handicap index (DHI), and acoustic voice analysis. Results : Patients show significant variation of parameters in the fundamental frequency (F), maximal phonation time (MPT), shimmer, jitter and soft phonation index (SPI) early after operation, and most of them showed recovery of parameters after 1month of operation. Perceptive complaint of voice and swallowing also showed significant decreased after operation (p<0.005). After 1month of operation, MPT, highest frequency and frequency ranges still showed significant decreased parameters. Comparing acoustic and perceptive parameters of total thyroidectomy and lobectomy, there was no significant changes between them except highest frequency (p=0.042). Conclusion : The results from both subjective and objective evaluations show voice and swallowing disturbance after thyroidectomy even in the absence of laryngeal nerve and provide patients information about the recovery process after surgery. Highest frequency parameter showed most significant changes after operation.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.95-105
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• 2006

The primary goal of therapeutic intervention in dysarthric speakers is to increase the speech intelligibility. Decision of critical features to increase the intelligibility is very important in speech therapy. The purpose of this study is to know the effects of pitch increasing training (PIT) on speech of a subject with Parkinson's disease (PD). The PIT program is focused on increasing pitch while a vowel is sustained with the same loudness. The loudness level is somewhat higher than that of the habitual loudness. A 67-year-old female with PD participated in the study. Speech therapy was conducted for 4 sessions (200 minutes) for one week. Before and after the treatment, acoustic, perceptual and speech naturalness evaluation was peformed for data analysis. Speech and voice satisfaction index (SVSI) was obtained after the treatment. Results showed Improvements in voice quality and speech naturalness. In addition, the patient's satisfaction ratings (SVSI) indicated a positive relationship between improved speech production and their (the patient and care-givers) satisfaction.