Perceptual voice characteristics in pediatric unilateral vocal fold paralysis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the voice characteristics of pediatric unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).


METHODS
Retrospective series from a children's hospital, 1996 to present.


RESULTS
Forty-two patients with a mean age of 7.1 years were diagnosed with UVFP in our voice clinic (prevalence = 5.4%). Paralysis was left sided in 88%, and was most commonly seen after cardiac surgery (28.5%) and prolonged intubation/prematurity (16.7%). Voice analysis showed a moderate degree of breathiness, mild-to-moderate hoarseness and straining, mild muscle tension, and soft loudness. Twenty-six percent of patients required surgical intervention, including injection into the paralyzed fold (7 patients) and medialization thyroplasty (4 patients). Pre-operatively, breathiness was worse (P < .05) in patients undergoing surgical intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Voice characteristics of pediatric UVFP include increased breathiness, hoarseness, straining, muscle tension, and soft loudness. One-fourth of patients underwent surgical intervention; breathiness was the predominant abnormal voice characteristic in the operative cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
The voice characteristics of pediatric patients with UVFP are described.


METHODS
C-4.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communication Disorders, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Rahul K
RK
Shah
Geralyn
G
Harvey-Woodnorth
Amy
A
Glynn
Roger C
RC
Nuss
D000293:Adolescent; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008144:Loudness Perception; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*