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Efficacy of the Accent Method of Voice Therapy in Professional Voice Users with Minimal Associated Pathological Lesions of the Vocal Folds

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Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aims

Minimal associated pathological lesions (MAPLs) of the vocal folds are a group of benign disorders commonly related to phonotraumatic conditions and behaviors. Voice therapy (VT) can play a major role in readjusting these maladaptive behaviors and improve overall voice quality, thereby replace surgical intervention in some cases or act as a complementary treatment to enhance the ultimate therapeutic outcomes. This study aims to explore the short-term effect of the Accent method of VT on vocal subjective measures and acoustics in professional users with MAPLs, evaluate the responsiveness of each vocal fold lesion to the VT, and propose a simple model for providing VT to a sector of the population in great need of non-invasive management.

Materials and methods

This analytical cross-sectional included fifty professional voice users with different MAPLs were exposed to multidimensional voice assessments before and after receiving VT training in a tertiary care hospital. These assessments include GRBAS score, Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP) and validated Arabic version Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30).

Results

This study showed variable positive effects of VT on the different types of MAPLs. Cysts had the highest level of responsiveness to VT in comparison to other lesions, followed by nodules, polyps, contact granuloma, and Reinke’s edema.

Conclusions

VT is a substantial solution for managing voice disorders. It should be considered in the management plan of the various types of MAPLs, even in Reinke’s edema, which showed the minimum improvement.

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Availability of Data and Material

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

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Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmed Abdelgoad

  2. College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

    Danah Alrusayyis

Authors
  1. Ahmed Abdelgoad
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  2. Danah Alrusayyis
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Ahmed Abdelgoad. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Danah Alrusayyis and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ahmed Abdelgoad.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (IRB-2021–01-116).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Abdelgoad, A., Alrusayyis, D. Efficacy of the Accent Method of Voice Therapy in Professional Voice Users with Minimal Associated Pathological Lesions of the Vocal Folds. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 74 (Suppl 3), 5151–5159 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-03035-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-03035-4

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