title: Changes in the nasalance of vowels within the first week following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.
abstract: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the short-term effect of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) on changes in the nasalance of five vowels: /a/, /ε/, /i/, /ɔ/, and /u/. Our study group was made up of 20 patients-15 males and 5 females, aged 16 to 57 years (mean: 37.3 ± 11.5)-who had undergone UPPP as a treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Nasometry was used to obtain nasalance scores in all patients on the morning of the operation (day 1) and subsequently on day 4 or 5 (mean: 4.5 ± 0.5). Preoperatively, nasalance scores were highest for /i/ (mean: 29.8 ± 12.6) and /a/ (mean: 24.1 ± 10.3). After the operation, nasalance scores for all five studied vowels increased; they were highest for /i/ (mean: 40.7 ± +17.8) and /ε/ (mean: 30.0 ± 10.8). The increases in the nasalance of /i/, /ε/, and /u/ were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that UPPP has a significant impact on nasalance immediately after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Corresponding author: Ying-Piao Wang, MD, PhD, Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology and School of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan. Email: carlsonwang@yahoo.com.tw From the Department of Otolaryngology, Hearing and Speech Center, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (Dr. Yang, Dr. Wang, and Ms. Chang); and the Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology and the School of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan. (Dr. Yang and Dr. Wang). The study described in this article was conducted at Mackay Memorial Hospital.
authors.forename: Cheng-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying-Piao
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chin-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery; D010700:Phonetics; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013068:Speech Production Measurement / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014609:Uvula / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult