The Clinical Usefulness of Aerodynamic Test Using the Airway Interruption Method in Patients with Laryngeal Disorders

Moon, Young Il; Lee, Yun Young; Kim, Moon Jung; Lee, Jae Yeun

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The airway interruption method was developed as a combination of the measurement of expiratory pressure, mean air flow, intensity, and frequency. We evaluated the clinical usefulness of the airway interruption method in measuring vocal frequency, vocal intensity, mean air flow rate and expiratory air pressure.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We performed phonatory function tests in the patients with vocal nodule (n=380), vocal polyp (n=41), vocal sulcus (n=20), laryngitis (n=72), vocal paralysis (n=10) and glottic cancer, T 1 (n=5). And these results were compared with normal values which were reported previously. In 91 patients with vocal nodule and 5 patients with polyp, phonatory function test was followed up after laryngomicrosurgery and compared with preoperative test.
RESULTS
In patients with vocal nodule and polyp, mean air flow rate was significantly increased (p<0.05). In polyp, these differences were greater than nodule group. In vocal paralysis, mean air flow rate was significantly increased than other groups. In glottic cancer (T1), expiratory air pressure was significantly increased than other groups. In laryngitis and sulcus vocalis, mean air flow rate was increased in some phonation methods. But their differences were less significant than other groups. After laryngomicrosurgery, mean air flow rate and expiratory air pressure were decreased in both groups.
CONCLUSION
The aerodynamic test using the airway interruption method is a noninvasive, easy to perform and reliable for evaluation of aerodynamic conditions at the glottis. This research finds that the interruption method is effective both in evaluation of the treatment and in postoperative assessments of the laryngeal disorder patients.