Stroboscopic and Voice Analysis for Outcome Assessment of Intervention in Cases with Benign Vocal Fold Lesions

Abstract

A bstrAct Aims and objectives: Assessment of outcome of cases with benign vocal lesions treated by a combination of methods aimed at voice improvement, rather than only cure of lesion. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, MGM Medical College and Maharana Yashwant Rao Holkar Hospital, Indore from October 2018 to March 2020. We selected 85 patients in the age group of 18–60 years with complaints of hoarseness of voice and in whom benign vocal fold lesions were observed on stroboscopy. Pretreatment analysis was done by video-stroboscopy and voice analysis by a combination of simple subjective and objective parameters. Treatment was planned individually for each case from a variety of available modalities, with vocal fold exercises being the essential part of the plan in each case. After 2 months from the initiation of therapy, the analysis was repeated and compared with initial observations. The data were recorded and compared using paired t -test. Results: Statistically significant ( p < 0.05) improvement was observed in all the parameters of stroboscopic and voice analysis. Conclusion: The contemporary approach of benign vocal fold lesions is aimed at cure of lesion with the achievement of the best possible voice outcome. This makes voice therapy an essentially irreplaceable part of the treatment plan. Clinical significance: Establishment of the importance of voice therapy and patient cooperation in the treatment of hoarseness.