AERODYNAMIC AND TEMPORAL DISRUPTIONS OF SPEECH IN LARYNGEAL INSUFFICIENCY

Objective: To describe the effects of laryngeal insufficiency on aerod ynamic and temporal aspects of speech breathing and speech production. Design: A survey study with statistical comparisons of patient and no rmal subject groups. Setting: Private and institutional practice. Pati ents: A convenience sample of 23 subjects with laryngeal insufficiency was compared with a volunteer sample of 20 normal-speaking subjects. Patients had frank unilateral recurrent nerve paralysis-paresis or idi opathic laryngeal insufficiency as verified by videostrobolaryngoscopy . Main Measures: Mean airflows, air volumes, and durations for speech inspirations, speech phrases, and non-inspiratory pauses during sample s of monologue speech. Results: In comparison with the normal group, t he patient group had significantly (P<.010 higher expiratory airflows and volumes during speech and reduced speech phrase durations. In addi tion, breaths per minute, inspiratory minute volume, and inspiratory a irflow were significantly (P<.01) higher for the patient group. An exp erimental measure of aerodynamic yield for speech increased the statis tical separation of the patient and normal groups compared with analys es using simple expiratory airflow measures alone. Conclusions: Insuff icient contact of the true vocal folds during speech can affect more t han just voice quality. Likely effects include (1) reduced speech phra se duration, (2) increased breaths per minute, (3) increased inspirato ry minute volume, and (4) increased inspiratory airflow rate.