Niven and Scott (2003): Sixteen years of hindsight

This paper revisits a 2003 publication in Nursing Philosophy: The need for accurate perception and informed judgement in determining the appropriate use of the nursing resource: hearing the patient's voice. The author suggests that the basic ideas and focus of this 16‐year‐old paper are still topical and relevant in considerations of nursing care. However, it is also suggested that greater attention to the importance of the nurse–patient relationship in considerations of resource allocation, and potential rationing of nursing care, would have strengthened the original paper.     

艺术嗓音歌声客观评价初探

目的探讨客观评价艺术嗓音歌声的方法。方法对48名声乐专业青年大学生录制专业训练歌声信号,提取歌声平均能量、频率误差、音域误差作为评价参数,使用神经网络方法和多元线性回归方法客观评价歌声质量,并与资深专业教师的主观评价进行比较。结果客观评价歌声质量的方法中,神经网络方法误差在4%之内,而线性回归方法误差在6%之内,前者较优。结论神经网络方法利用评价参数能正确客观评价歌声质量,有助于科学地指导选拔和训练艺术嗓音人才。     

TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY WITH PRIMARY VOICE RESTORATION

Forty-three patients were prospectively studied following tracheo-oesophageal puncture at the time of laryngectomy (primary voice restoration). Blom-Singer voice prostheses were used. The surgery was regarded as successful if a patient continued to use the voice prosthesis as the major means of communication with clear intelligibility 4 months after the operation. Using this criterion, the success in this series was 70%. No attempt was made to assess the quality of speech. Complications and causes of failure are discussed.     

Quality of life and voice following endoscopic resection or radiotherapy for early glottic cancer

Objectives: To assess whether proposed voice and quality of life (QoL) outcome measures were likely to be acceptable to patients previously treated for early glottic cancer by either radiotherapy or endoscopic resection, as well as looking for differences in QoL and voice between treatments. Design: Questionnaire‐based cohort study. Setting: Secondary care, three centres. Participants: All patients treated for T1a or in situ glottic carcinoma between 1997 and 2003. Fifty‐three patients were identified; those who had undergone salvage surgery or radiotherapy were excluded. A proportion refused to participate or could not be contacted and two patients had died of unrelated causes. Thirty‐six patients completed the trial with 18 from each treatment arm. Main outcome measures: Quality of voice as assessed by three questionnaires, Voice Handicap Index (VHI), Vocal Performance Questionnaire (VPQ), Voice Symptom Score (VoiSS) and perceptual analysis of voice by Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia and Strained (GRBAS) assessment of vocal recordings. Quality of life as assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW‐QoL), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) questionnaire. Results: All patients included in the trial were able to complete the questionnaires; however, 19% required assistance of some kind. GRBAS assessment showed no difference between groups for any criteria. All QoL questionnaires gave equivalent good scores. All of the voice questionnaires showed no statistical difference between groups except for the emotional subscale of the VoiSS which showed a significantly better score for the radiotherapy arm (P = 0.04). Conclusion: All outcome measures were applicable and acceptable to the patient group. Overall QoL and voice appears similar despite treatment arm, apart from the emotional subscale of the VoiSS. A randomized controlled trial is required to further assess this question.     

One-year follow-up results of combined use of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser and cold instrumentation for Reinke’s edema surgery in professional voice users

The purpose of this study was to present our experience with combined use of CO₂ laser and cold instrumentation for Reinke’s edema surgery and to evaluate 1-year follow-up results of the technique in a series of professional voice users. Fifteen patients with Reinke’s edema who underwent microlaryngoscopic surgery were included. Videolaryngostroboscopy, perceptual and acoustic voice analyses were performed before and after surgery. During the 1-year follow-up, no recurrence of Reinke’s edema was encountered. Significant postoperative improvement was obtained in the quality of voice, in terms of GRBAS scores, Fo, jitter, shimmer and NHR. No evidence of laryngeal cancer was found on the histological examinations. Combined use of CO₂ laser and cold instrumentation provides a reliable and safe method for Reinke’s edema surgery, and cessation of smoking, voice rest and control of the laryngopharyngeal reflux contribute to the success of surgery. We consider that the removal of redundant mucosa of the vocal fold reduces the risk of the recurrence of Reinke’s edema and provides better quality of voice. However, it does not imply that our method is superior to others’, but this procedure constitutes an effective treatment of choice for Reinke’s edema patients, including professional voice users.     

Effect of voice rehabilitation on oral communication of Parkinson's disease patients

Voice and speech disorders are common in Parkinson's disease patients and may lead to social isolation. We employed routine clinical voice therapy measures to evaluate the effect of voice rehabilitation. Twenty patients with a stable drug regimen participated in this study. The patients were assessed before and after a program of voice rehabilitation consisting of 13 group therapy sessions during 1 month, with emphasis on the increase in laryngeal sphincteric activity. Voice rehabilitation produced an increase in maximal phonation times, decrease in the values of s/z ratio and air flow, increase in vocal intensity, decrease in the complaints of weak and strained-strangled voice and monotonous and unintelligible speech and elimination of complaints of swallowing alterations. These data indicate a greater glottic efficiency after voice rehabilitation reflecting a more functional oral communication.     

咽下缩肌的形态特征及其临床意义

目的：为提高全喉切除术后患者用发音管发音重建的成功率，选择最能影响发音重建成功的咽下缩肌进行研究。方法：对４０具正常成人尸体标本咽下缩肌的解剖结构进行了详细的观察和测量。测量咽下缩肌各起点处的宽度，在甲状软骨板后缘的厚度；止点的长度；环咽肌后壁的测量；并用组织切片法观察咽缝的结构。结果：发现咽下缩肌不仅有起于甲状软骨和环状软骨的肌纤维，而且有起于第１气管环的肌纤维和肌腱。咽缝不是呈线状，而是呈条带状。结论：对发音重建行咽缩肌切断术有重要的临床意义。     

京剧嗓音的声学分析及音域特征

目的　从声学角度客观地检测京剧的嗓音特征 ,为京剧演唱者嗓音的训练和保护提供参考。方法　对 73名 1 6～ 5 7岁不同行当的专业京剧演员或学员 ,利用Dr Speech计算机频谱分析系统对元音 /a/、/i/歌唱舒适音和唱段进行声学参数的检测和分析。结果　各行当元音 /a/、/i/歌唱舒适音的基频 (fundamentalfrequency,F0 )分别是 :丑角 (2 72 6± 42 0 )Hz( x±s ,下同 )、(30 4 2± 2 2 1 )Hz;小生 (499 3± 34 0 )Hz,(485 4± 1 8 7)Hz;老生 (335 6± 6 0 0 )Hz,(31 7 9± 45 1 )Hz ;花脸 (31 9 0±6 1 3)Hz,(34 0 1± 6 8 8)Hz;老旦 (42 7 6± 47 2 )Hz,(437 7± 45 8)Hz ;花旦 (5 35 8± 48 8)Hz,(5 6 1 6± 2 9 2 )Hz ;青衣 (5 48 0± 6 9 5 )Hz,(5 43 5± 79 3)Hz;其它声学参数 :频率微扰 (pitchperiodperturbation,或Jitter)、振幅微扰 (amplitudeperturbation ,或Shimmer)和声门噪声能量 (也称标准化噪声能量级 ,normalizednoiseenergy ,NNE)均在软件提供的正常值范围内 ;京剧演员歌唱音域的跨度为 1 7～ 2 8个八度 ,最低音和多数最高音均比西洋唱法的高音声部相应的值高。结论　京剧嗓音有着独特的声学特征 ;结果对其嗓音的训练和保护有一定的临床参考     

The effectiveness of voice therapy for patients with non-organic dysphonia

Forty-five patients diagnosed as having non-organic dysphonia were assigned in rotation to one of three groups. Patients in one group received no treatment and acted as a control group. Patients in the other two groups received a programme of either ‘indirect’ therapy or ‘direct with indirect’ therapy, respectively. A self-report questionnaire of vocal performance, observed ratings of voice quality, and computer-derived acoustic measurements (signal-to-noise ratio, pitch perturbation and amplitude perturbation) were carried out on all patients before and after treatment to evaluate the changes in voice quality over time. There was a significant difference between the three groups on the self-report questionnaire, voice quality ratings and pitch perturbation measurements (P = < 0.05). Thirteen out of 15 control patients showed no significant change on any of the measures. Seven patients who received indirect treatment showed significant improvement in voice quality following treatment. Fourteen out of 15 patients who received direct treatment showed significant improvement in voice quality.