Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Situationally-Bound Judgements of Listener Comfort for Postlaryngectomy Voice and Speech.

Background: The influence of the listening environment in which communication occurs has been of longstanding interest related to communication disorders. It also has been posited that specific listening scenarios may differentially effect listener judgements of a speaker. In the case of those who have lost their larynx and normal voice due to cancer, a listener's assessment may carry a substantial penalty.

Scoping review of deep learning research illuminates artificial intelligence chasm in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

Clinical validation studies are important to translate artificial intelligence (AI) technology in healthcare but may be underperformed in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS). This scoping review examined deep learning publications in OHNS between 1996 and 2023. Searches on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases identified 3236 articles of which 444 met inclusion criteria.

An Assessment of Young Adults' Awareness and Knowledge Related to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Oropharyngeal Cancer, and the HPV Vaccine.

Background/objectives: The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection that is a known cause of morbidities such as genital warts and cancers of the cervix, anus, and oropharynx. Non-cervical HPV-related cancers have been a developing problem in North America, increasing in incidence by up to 225% in some instances over a span of two decades.

Methods: This study investigated levels of and of HPV, oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), and the HPV vaccine using a self-administered web-based survey designed specifically for this research.

Impact of Transoral Robotic Surgery Versus Radiation on Swallowing Function in Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients: A Sub-Study From a Randomized Trial.

Background: This ORATOR sub-study evaluated swallowing physiology in patients treated with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) versus radiotherapy (RT) for early-stage oropharynx cancer.

Methods: Swallowing physiology was evaluated using videofluoroscopy and outcomes were compared across treatment arms and correlated with MDADI scores.

Results: Of the 68 patients in the ORATOR trial, 21 participated in this sub-study (30.

The Benefits of Silicone Laryngectomy Tubes at the Time of Laryngectomy-A Case Series Spanning 17 Years.

Objectives: Although total laryngectomy (TL) is a well-established surgical procedure with clear functional or oncologic indications, the peri- and postoperative care for those undergoing TL is variable, particularly regarding postlaryngectomy tracheostoma management. This study examined TL outcomes from a single institution with the immediate perioperative use of soft silicone laryngectomy tubes. More specifically, we explored potential complications associated with immediate perioperative use of a flexible laryngectomy tube (LaryTube and StomaSoft) and the use of heat and moisture exchange (HME) devices in association with peri- and postoperative care.

A Scoping Review of Artificial Intelligence Detection of Voice Pathology: Challenges and Opportunities.

Objective: Survey the current literature on artificial intelligence (AI) applications for detecting and classifying vocal pathology using voice recordings, and identify challenges and opportunities for advancing the field forward.

Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Scopus databases.

Review Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.

Temporal and Spectral Models as Correlates to Auditory-Perceptual Judgments of Overall Severity and Listener Comfort in Tracheoesophageal Voice.

Introduction: This study pursued two objectives: (1) to determine the potential association between listener ( = 51) judgments of 20 male tracheoesophageal speaker samples for two auditory-perceptual dimensions of voice, overall severity (OS) and listener comfort (LC); and (2) to assess the temporal and spectral acoustic correlates for these auditory-perceptual dimensions.

Methodology: Three separate correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the association between OS and LC. First, scores of OS and LC from all listeners were pooled together, and then the correlation between OS and LC was computed.

Sarcopenia as a Predictor of Feeding Tube Placement in Individuals with Oropharyngeal Cancer.

Purpose: In oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), systemic loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM), or sarcopenia, is a strong prognostic predictor of survival outcomes. However, the relationship between sarcopenia and nutrition-related outcomes is not well understood. This investigation evaluated the prognostic significance of sarcopenia for feeding tube (FT) placement in a cohort of OPSCC patients.

The Effect of Rating Method on Reliability of Judgments of Strain Across Populations.

Purpose: Variability in auditory-perceptual ratings of voice limits their utility, with the poorest reliability often noted for vocal strain. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an experimental method, called visual sort and rate (VSR), promoted stronger rater reliability than visual analog scale (VAS), for ratings of strain in two clinical populations: adductor laryngeal dystonia (ADLD) and vocal hyperfunction (VH).

Method: Connected speech samples from speakers with ADLD and VH as well as age- and sex-matched controls were selected from a database.

End-to-end deep learning classification of vocal pathology using stacked vowels.

Objectives: Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology have increased the feasibility of classifying voice disorders using voice recordings as a screening tool. This work develops upon previous models that take in single vowel recordings by analyzing multiple vowel recordings simultaneously to enhance prediction of vocal pathology.

Methods: Voice samples from the Saarbruecken Voice Database, including three sustained vowels (/a/, /i/, /u/) from 687 healthy human participants and 334 dysphonic patients, were used to train 1-dimensional convolutional neural network models for multiclass classification of healthy, hyperfunctional dysphonia, and laryngitis voice recordings.

Self-perception of fatigue in individuals diagnosed with head and neck cancer.

Purpose: Head and neck cancer (HNCa) presents numerous challenges secondary to treatment. While there is substantial clinical awareness to the range of challenges demonstrated in this population, information on the impact of post-treatment fatigue is limited. This study investigated the degree of perceived fatigue in those treated for HNCa.

Auditory-Perceptual and Pupillometric Evaluation of Vocal Roughness and Listening Effort in Tracheoesophageal Speech.

Objectives: This study evaluated auditory-perceptual judgments of perceived vocal roughness (VR) and listening effort (LE) along with pupillometric responses in response to speech samples produced by tracheoesophageal (TE) talkers.

Methods: Twenty normal-hearing, naive young adults (eight men and twelve women) served as listeners. Listeners were divided into two groups: (1) a with-anchor (WA) group (four men and six women) and (2) a no-anchor (NA) group (four men and six women).

Adoption and Utilization of Heat and Moisture Exchangers (HMEs) in the Tracheostomy Patient.

Objective: Management of tracheostomized patients typically involves a conventional external humidification system (CEHS). CEHS are noisy, negatively impact patient mobility, and increases costs. Additionally, they prevent phonation and the ability to cough.

Usage of Heat and Moisture Exchange Devices, Virtual Visits, Masking, and Vaccinations Among People With a Laryngectomy During COVID-19.

Purpose: This study described the COVID-19 risk mitigation actions of people with a total laryngectomy (TL) during the pandemic.

Method: An online survey was completed by 215 people with a TL who lived in the United States. The survey was open from December 1, 2021, to January 15, 2022.

Has Esophageal Speech Returned as an Increasingly Viable Postlaryngectomy Voice and Speech Rehabilitation Option?

Purpose: The literature on postlaryngectomy voice and speech rehabilitation is long-standing. Although multiple rehabilitation options have existed over the years, the acquisition and use of esophageal speech (ES) has decreased significantly over the past 40 years. This reduction coincides with the increased application of tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) voice restoration.

Sarcopenia in head and neck cancer: A scoping review.

Objectives: In those undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC), sarcopenia is a strong prognostic factor for outcomes and mortality. This review identified working definitions and methods used to objectively assess sarcopenia in HNC.

Method: The scoping review was performed in accordance with Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage methodology and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines.

Symptom Expression Across Voiced Speech Sounds in Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia.

Objectives: Differential diagnosis for adductor laryngeal dystonia (AdLD) is often carried out by comparing symptom expression during sentences with either all voiced or voiced and voiceless consonants. However, empirical research examining the effects of phonetic context on symptoms is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine whether symptom probabilities varied across voiced speech segments in an all-voiced sentence, and whether this variability was systematic with respect to phonetic features.

Communication competence and disability secondary to laryngectomy and tracheoesophageal puncture voice restoration.

Background: There is a large body of research showing the negative impact of a total laryngectomy on the resultant voice signal across multiple outcomes (e.g., speech intelligibility/acceptability, listener comprehension, voice quality).

Spectral Aggregate of the High-Passed Fundamental Frequency and Its Relationship to the Primary Acoustic Features of Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia.

Objective: Currently, no clinically feasible objective measures exist that are specific to the signs of adductor laryngeal dystonia (LD), deterring effective diagnosis and treatment. This project sought to establish concurrent validity of a new automated acoustic outcome measure, designed to be specific to adductor laryngeal dystonia (AdLD): the spectral aggregate of the high-passed fundamental frequency contour (SAH ).

Method: Twenty speakers with AdLD read voiced phoneme-loaded (more symptomatic) and voiceless phoneme-loaded (less symptomatic) sentences.

Image representation of the acoustic signal: An effective tool for modeling spectral and temporal dynamics of connected speech.

Recent studies have advocated for the use of connected speech in clinical voice and speech assessment. This suggestion is based on the presence of clinically relevant information within the onset, offset, and variation in connected speech. Existing works on connected speech utilize methods originally designed for analysis of sustained vowels and, hence, cannot properly quantify the transient behavior of connected speech.

Supporting Patient Autonomy in Shared Decision Making for Individuals With Head and Neck Cancer.

Purpose: Management of head and neck cancer (HNC) can result in substantial long-term, multifaceted disability, leading to significant deficits in one's functioning and quality of life (QoL). Consequently, treatment selection is a challenging component of care for patients with HNC. Clinical care guided by shared decision making (SDM) can help address these decisional challenges and allow for a more individualized approach to treatment.

Influence of Phonatory Break Duration and Pause Time on Auditory-Perceptual Ratings of Speech Acceptability and Listener Comfort in Adductor-Type Laryngeal Dystonia.

Introduction: This study empirically evaluated the influence of phonatory break duration and pause time on auditory-perceptual measures of speech produced by 26 adult speakers diagnosed with adductor-type laryngeal dystonia (AdLD).

Type Of Study: Experimental.

Methods: Fifteen inexperienced, young adult normal-hearing listeners provided ratings of speech acceptability and listener comfort for samples of running speech.

Clinical Experiences of People With a Laryngectomy During the SARS COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose This study described the clinical experiences of patients with a total laryngectomy (TL) during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified changes in communication, tracheostoma care, and heat-moisture exchange (HME) use that were recommended or self-implemented. Method An online survey addressing the study aims was completed by 173 people with a TL who live in the United States. The survey was open from July 5 to August 10, 2020.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Speech-Language Pathologists Engaged in Clinical Practices With Elevated Coronavirus Transmission Risk.

Purpose This study assessed and described potential clinical practice changes secondary to COVID-19 that emerged as an early response to the pandemic for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) engaged in voice, alaryngeal, and swallowing activities that may increase the risk of virus transmission. Method SLPs from the United States and Canada ( = 665) who were engaged in clinical activities that might elevate the risk of COVID-19 exposure completed an online survey regarding their clinical practices. Topics assessed included potential clinical service modifications, COVID-19 testing and health, and potential financial impacts in the early time period of the pandemic.

Comprehensive metrics for evaluating surgical microscope use during tympanostomy tube placement.

Purpose: Learning to use a surgical microscope is a fundamental step in otolaryngology training; however, there is currently no objective method to teach or assess this skill. Tympanostomy tube placement is a common otologic procedure that requires skilled use of a surgical microscope. This study was designed to (1) implement metrics capable of evaluating microscope use and (2) establish construct validity.