title: Thyroid cartilage and vocal fold reduction: a new phonosurgical method for male-to-female transsexuals.
abstract: To date, there is a paucity of literature on surgery to alter vocal pitch in male-to-female transsexuals. The currently available pitch-raising surgical techniques yield neither a good long-term result nor a high enough pitch to simulate a female voice. We investigated a new procedure to alter vocal pitch in 6 male-to-female transsexuals. The principle is to shorten and increase tension on both vocal folds by composite resection of a vertical strip of the anterior thyroid cartilage along with a segment of vocal fold. This resulted in a satisfactory pitch alteration from an average of 147 Hz before operation to 315 Hz afterward. In addition to a marked pitch elevation, all patients were particularly pleased with the softness of the voice and the simultaneous loss of the prominentia laryngea (Adam's apple). The longest follow-up was 6 years. In conclusion, thyroid cartilage and vocal fold reduction is an effective method for long-term alteration of voice in male-to-female transsexuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ramathibodi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunachak
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prakunhungsit
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sujjalak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*; D014189:Transsexualism / Q000601:surgery*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000601:surgery*; D014833:Voice Quality