Speech outcomes in Cantonese patients after glossectomy.
BACKGROUND
We sought to determine the major factors affecting speech production of Cantonese-speaking glossectomized patients. Error pattern was analyzed.


METHODS
Forty-one Cantonese-speaking subjects who had undergone glossectomy > or = 6 months previously were recruited. Speech production evaluation included (1) phonetic error analysis in nonsense syllable; (2) speech intelligibility in sentences evaluated by naive listeners; (3) overall speech intelligibility in conversation evaluated by experienced speech therapists.


RESULTS
Patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy had significantly poorer segmental and connected speech production. Total or subtotal glossectomy also resulted in poor speech outcomes. Patients having free flap reconstruction showed the best speech outcomes. Patients without lymph node metastasis had significantly better speech scores when compared with patients with lymph node metastasis. Initial consonant production had the worst scores, while vowel production was the least affected.


CONCLUSIONS
Speech outcomes of Cantonese-speaking glossectomized patients depended on the severity of the disease. Initial consonants had the greatest effect on speech intelligibility.
Wong
Ripley Kit
RK
Department of Speech Therapy, 3/F., Block S, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong. wongkr@ha.org.hk
Poon
Esther Sok-Man
ES
Woo
Cynthia Yuen-Man
CY
Chan
Sabina Ching-Shun
SC
Wong
Elsa Siu-Ping
ES
Chu
Ada Wai-Sze
AW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005927:Glossectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010700:Phonetics; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013060:Speech; D013062:Speech Articulation Tests; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*