Comparison of Voice Quality Between Patients Who Underwent Inferior Turbinoplasty or Radiofrequency Cauterization

• Published in: Journal of voice 2017-01, Vol.31 (1), p.121.e17-121.e21
• Main Authors: Göker, Ayşe Enise, Aydoğdu, İmran, Saltürk, Ziya, Berkiten, Güler, Atar, Yavuz, Kumral, Tolgar Lütfi, Uyar, Yavuz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic analysis; Acoustics; Adolescent; Adult; Cautery - adverse effects; Cautery - methods; Concha hypertrophy; Disorders; Female; Humans; Hypertrophy; Inferior turbinoplasty; Male; Middle Aged; Nasal surgery; Otolaryngology; Patients; Radiofrequency; Rhinoplasty - adverse effects; Singing; Sound Spectrography; Speech Acoustics; Speech Production Measurement; Surgery; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Turbinates - pathology; Turbinates - surgery; Turkey; Voice; Voice Disorders - diagnosis; Voice Disorders - etiology; Voice Disorders - physiopathology; Voice professionals; Voice Quality; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0892-1997; 1873-4588
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.02.002

Summary Objectives The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the vocal quality in patients who underwent either submucosal turbinectomy or radiofrequency cauterization. Methods In this study, we enrolled 60 patients diagnosed with inferior concha hypertrophy. These patients were divided into two groups by using computer program “ Research Randomizer .” Of the 60 patients, 30 underwent submucosal inferior turbinoplasty and 30 underwent radiofrequency cauterization. The control group was composed of 30 healthy adults with no nasal or upper aerodigestive system pathology. The patients were checked at weeks 1, 2, and 4. Voice records were taken before the procedure and at week 4 postprocedure. Results The mean age of patients in the inferior turbinoplasty group was 29.4 years (range: 19–42 years); in the radiofrequency group, it was 30.30 years (range: 18–50 years). There was no statistical difference in age between groups. In the inferior turbinoplasty group, there were 16 male and 14 female patients, and in the radiofrequency group, there were 13 male and 17 female patients. There was no significant difference in the number of males and females between groups. Conclusions Voice professionals, especially singers, actors, and actresses, should be informed about possible voice changes before undergoing endonasal surgery because these individuals are more sensitive to changes in resonance organs. We believe that voice quality should be regarded as a highly important parameter when measuring the success of endonasal surgery.