title: Patients' perceptions of vocal problems: results from a survey in the Tokyo area.
abstract: Laryngoscopy in cases of sulcus vocalis reveals bowed vocal folds, resulting in a spindle-shaped chink with glottal incompetence. The anatomic and functional problems and resulting incomplete glottal closure during phonation lead to the presenting symptoms of breathy hoarseness, decrease in maximum phonation time (MPT), and vocal fatigue. These symptoms, however, have been reported from the physician's viewpoint, not the patient's. Furthermore, no standardized guidelines for the treatment of sulcus vocalis have been established. Because the general attitude toward sulcus vocalis appears to have become 'It is only a vocal problem and does not significantly affect the patient's well-being,' knowledge of sulcus vocalis has decreased and knowledge about choices of therapy remain limited. We therefore conducted an epidemiological questionnaire survey on this pathological condition in voice clinics in seven hospitals in the Tokyo area to establish preliminary guidelines for the management of sulcus vocalis, in reference to the opinion of the patients. Here we report the summary of our preliminary study 'a survey for sulcus vocalis' and suggest guidelines for the management of such pathological conditions. Although these management guidelines may result in improvement in the symptoms of sulcus vocalis, patients and physicians should be aware that treatment of this condition is difficult and improvement is not guaranteed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Artificial Organs and Medical Device Creation and Otolaryngology, National Hospital Organization, National Tokyo Medical Center, National Institute of Sensory Organs , Tokyo , Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujimaki
authors.forename: Takaharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nito
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamasoba
authors.forename: Niro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tayama
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Makiyama
authors.forename: Toshihisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murofushi
authors.forename: Atsunobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohshima
authors.forename: Kohichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kano
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niimi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D014041:Tokyo / Q000453:epidemiology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: clinical survey; maximum phonation time; preliminary guidelines; sulcus vocalis; swallowing problem; vocal fatigue; voice problem