Blowing ratio as an evaluation tool for velopharyngeal function after oral and oropharyngeal cancer resection.
BACKGROUND
Our objective was to evaluate the value of the blowing test to measure the speech and swallowing function after resection of oral or oropharyngeal cancer.


METHODS
Speech and swallowing functions of the patients after surgical resection of oral or oropharyngeal cancer were assessed by a speech intelligibility test, blowing time, questionnaires, and oropharyngeal pressures. Blowing time (pressure) ratio was determined by dividing blowing time (pressure) with open nose by blowing time (pressure) with closed nose.


RESULTS
Blowing time ratio had significant correlation with blowing pressure ratio (p = .014), score of speech intelligibility test (p = .0014), questionnaire for aspiration (p = .029), nasopharyngeal backflow (CC = 0.676, p = .032), amount of food to swallow (p = .037), and oropharyngeal pressure during swallowing (p = .024).


CONCLUSIONS
The present results demonstrated the value of blowing time ratio as a simple objective tool for speech and swallowing ability related to velopharyngeal function after resection of oral and oropharyngeal cancers.
Katoh
Chieri
C
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Saitoh
Miki
M
Tsuneyuki
Miki
M
Tanimoto
Hitoshi
H
Hashikawa
Kazunobu
K
Tahara
Shinya
S
Otsuki
Naoki
N
Nibu
Ken-ichi
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013065:Speech Intelligibility / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055158:Velopharyngeal Sphincter / Q000503:physiopathology*