Voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL) outcomes in laryngectomees

Head Neck. 2011 Jan;33(1):31-6. doi: 10.1002/hed.21409.

Abstract

Background: Laryngeal cancer has a significant impact on patients. This study compared the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) outcomes specific to 3 different postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation methods.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 75 patients with laryngectomy from our V-RQOL questionnaire database.

Results: The database included 18 electrolaryngeal speech (ELS), 15 esophageal speech (ES), and 42 tracheoesophageal speech (TES) patients. Pairwise comparisons of V-RQOL outcomes showed that TES was perceived to be better than ELS (p < .001). ES was perceived as better than ELS, but this was driven by a difference in the total and social-emotional V-RQOL scores (p < .05). There was no difference between TES and ES groups. Only ELS showed a positive correlation with time after surgery and older age.

Conclusions: Patients using TES had similar V-RQOL outcomes compared to ES and both performed significantly better than ELS. For ELS, the total V-RQOL score was better with longer time after surgery and older age.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Databases, Factual
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Laryngeal Neoplasms / psychology
  • Laryngeal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Laryngectomy / psychology*
  • Laryngectomy / rehabilitation
  • Larynx, Artificial / psychology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Speech Therapy / methods
  • Speech, Alaryngeal / instrumentation
  • Speech, Alaryngeal / methods
  • Speech, Esophageal / instrumentation*
  • Speech, Esophageal / methods
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Voice Quality