The Effectiveness of Voice Rehabilitation on Vocalization in Post-Laryngectomy Patients: A Systematic Review
JBI Library of Systematic Reviews
Xi, S., Li, Z., et al. (2009).
JBI Library of Systematic Reviews, 7(23), 1004-1035.
This systematic review investigates the effects of voice rehabilitation for people with laryngectomy due to head and neck cancer (HNC).
Joanna Briggs Institute (Australia)
1990 to April 2006
Randomized controlled trials; non-randomized controlled trials,; cohort studies; case-controlled studies; high-related and high-quality descriptive studies
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Of the three most common voice methods (i.e., esophageal speech, electrolarynx, and tracheoesophageal speech), tracheoesophageal speech had the best results for reported quality of life and satisfaction in people with laryngectomy status-post HNC.
Twenty-two studies regarding voice rehabilitation in individuals with HNC-related laryngectomy were found. Esophageal speech, electrolarynx, and tracheoesophageal speech were the most common voice rehabilitation methods. When compared with one another:
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<li><strong>Electrolarynx speech</strong> was easiest to use and had the highest success rate. However, "patient's satisfaction was lower than with other methods due to the mechanical voice and background noise" (p. 1019). Speech quality and intelligibility was also lower than tracheoesophageal speech.</li>
<li><strong>Esophageal speech</strong> was the most difficult to learn. Its success rate was lower than the other methods, but it was also of lowest cost.</li>
<li><strong>Tracheoesophageal speech</strong> had the best results for intelligibility and quality of voice; however, it was most expensive and incurred more complications (e.g., leakage, aspirating the prosthesis, prosthesis displacement, granulation tissue formation). </li>
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