An Evaluation Pertaining to Esophageal Speech Outcomes in Alaryngeal Patients

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have reported on the treatment of alaryngeal patients in order to improve their speech in several ways, but little focus was placed on esophageal speech. Objectives: To determine the time duration of esophageal speech training after which alaryngeal patients can speak, and to analyze the factors affecting esophageal speech training outcomes. Methods: A retrospective study, 29 alaryngeal patients who visited the Speech Clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital participated in the study. Data were collected from patients’ medical records after speech therapy with the esophageal speech and the combination of esophageal speech and electrolarynx. Data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Of 29 alaryngeal patients, 7 patients from the esophageal speech group and 6 patients from the combination of esophageal speech and electrolarynx training group could produce a first speech sound. The median duration of time that alaryngeal patients needed to speak after esophageal speech training was 11 weeks. Chemotherapy and the frequency of speech training sessions were factors that significantly affected the time durations needed by alaryngeal patients who succeeded in speaking because of esophageal speech training (P < .05). Alaryngeal patients who were not treated with chemotherapy and attended speech training sessions more than once per month had shorter time durations for esophageal speech training than the others. Conclusions: Alaryngeal patients could speak after esophageal speech training for at least 11 weeks. Chemotherapy and frequency of speech training sessions impacted esophageal speech training outcomes.