Botulinum toxin injection to improve tracheoesophageal speech after total laryngectomy

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1999 Mar;120(3):314-9. doi: 10.1016/S0194-5998(99)70268-8.

Abstract

Total laryngectomy patients, after undergoing a tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP), may have poor TEP speech because of hypertonicity or spasm of the pharyngoesophageal segment (PES). Conventional treatment options include speech therapy, PES dilation, pharyngeal neurectomy, and myotomy. Botulinum toxin injection into the PES has recently been reported to be effective for this disorder. However, data accumulated were based primarily on subjective analyses. This prospective investigation used both qualitative and quantitative measures to assess the effects of videofluoroscopy-guided botulinum toxin injection on TEP voice quality in laryngectomees with PES dysfunction. Patients underwent voice analyses, tracheal air pressure measures, and barium swallows before and after botulinum toxin injection. Seven of 8 patients had significant voice quality improvement, and tracheal air pressures normalized in 6 of 8 patients after injection. Videofluoroscopic botulinum toxin injection into the PES is efficacious, safe, and cost-effective and should be considered as a first-line therapy for the treatment of laryngectomees with poor quality TEP speech caused by PES dysfunction.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A / therapeutic use*
  • Fluoroscopy
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intramuscular
  • Laryngectomy / adverse effects*
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Hypertonia / diagnosis
  • Muscle Hypertonia / drug therapy*
  • Muscle Hypertonia / etiology*
  • Muscle Hypertonia / physiopathology
  • Muscle Spasticity / diagnosis
  • Muscle Spasticity / drug therapy*
  • Muscle Spasticity / etiology*
  • Muscle Spasticity / physiopathology
  • Neuromuscular Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Pharyngeal Muscles*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Speech, Esophageal*
  • Video Recording
  • Voice Disorders / diagnosis
  • Voice Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Voice Disorders / etiology*
  • Voice Disorders / physiopathology

Substances

  • Neuromuscular Agents
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A